Dark Melody
by lady-warrioress
Summary: Spades Slick finds himself over his head when he makes the mistake of chasing after Snowman. Now he must deal with the consequences from his past and present actions. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

Black gloved fingers moved across white ivory piano keys creating a low, mournful sound. A haunting melody floated out the window, open to let in some fresh air and dis spell the scent of stale blood, drifting over the dark city. The purple sky was lit by white stars and a quarter moon, hanging low in the late night sky.  
>Off in the distance a clock chimed thrice. 3 am.<br>The melody stopped as the player ceased, glancing toward the window. He listened to the chimes, his white colored mouth turned down in a scowl.  
>Clocks.<br>He hated clocks. They always gave him reminders of stupid incidents with rival gangs.  
>The chimes didn't last too long, eventually dying away into the night. As they faded away he relaxed, the anxiety the sound gave him vanishing with the sounds.<br>He sighed, rising off the piano bench and waling over to the window. He reached up and pulled it closed, muting the sounds of the casinos in the distance. That was enough fresh air for one night plus he didn't want to hear that clock chime again.  
>Briefly he paused, the shade, partly up, looking up at the moon. It reminded him of something from long ago, before he was exiled from his own planet, Derse, and sent here. Back when he'd been under direct orders of the Black Queen, the Archagent as some called him, back before he...<br>He turned sharply from the window and yanked the shade down fully, hiding the sky behind its off white color. It was stupid to think about those things. That was all over and done with, he had no reason to dwell on it now. It was all ancient history and good riddens. That part of his life didn't hold very pleasant memories anyway.  
>Blast. There he went again, focusing on such trivial things. He cast about the room, looking for something to get his mind off the dark shadows of the past.<br>His white eyes fell on a piece of paper tacked to the wall. An old doodle he'd drawn on one of the many citations he had to file in his past job back on the home planet of the black colored living chess pieces.  
>The drawing was of a dark colored female, her skin and clothing matching his own colors. Black. There were words written by the doodle as well as drawings of green colored beings in boxes all around it. These images had red Xs over them, some crossed over more than once.<br>The Felt.  
>Those obnoxious time traveling gangsters. He and his three partners would have to deal with them once and for all eventually. He was tired of killing them and then seeing them alive again the next day. Of course right now they were the last things on his mind, except the black female who was completely out of place.<br>Oh how he loathed that vile woman that destroyed his life. She forever existed to be a thorn in his side.  
>Pushing the memories out of his mind he took off his gloves and started to unbutton the white colored short he wore under the suit black jacket. Might as well call it a night. He wouldn't get any new songs composed for his nightclub like this.<br>He started to change out of his suit but was interrupted when the bedroom window behind him suddenly shattered, tearing the shade apart and sending shards flying in all directions. Some of the glass rained on him, bits cutting his face.  
>Cursing in pain and shock, he threw himself to the floor, protecting his head with his arms. What the heck was going on?<br>"Slick..." a voice waved up through the now broken window.  
>He froze on the floor, his eyes widening with recognition. That voice...<br>Scrambling to his feet he pulled up the torn blinds and looked out the shattered window down to the street below. A slender figure in a black trench coat with green highlights looked up at him with mocking white eyes. She held a white gun in her left hand which she'd most certainly used to shoot out his bedroom window to get his attention.  
>"Snowman!" he growled, recognizing the singular female Felt member.<br>When she noticed him looking she waved up at him as if she were greeting an old friend.  
>He growled, gritting his pointed teeth. The nerve of that woman, shooting out his bedroom window then waving at him as if what she'd done was no big deal. If she wasn't so important to his own existence he'd-<br>Suddenly she grinned at him and pointing at him then downward, making him look down at himself...  
>He snarled and moved away from the window, caught with his pants down. Why did she have to be the one to see him like that?<br>Spades grabbed up his clothing and threw it on it on before grabbing up his knife and a deck of playing cards. If she was going to bother him he might as well return to favor by giving her a few new scars. He might not be able to kill her but he could hurt her and that would give him some sort of satisfaction.  
>Well stabbing her in her heart would, but sometimes you didn't always get what you wanted. It couldn't hurt to wish for it once in awhile though, even if wishes never came true. Who believed in those fairy tales anyway?<br>Grumbling dark threats to himself he redressed as he dashed down the stairs and burst out the front door of the apartment building. "All right, you she-witch!" he shouted, brandishing his knife. "Come and get me!"  
>But she was gone.<br>Huh? He frowned, confused. Where had she gone?  
>The mob boss stood still, turning his head slowly as he scanned the neighborhood for any sign of Snowman.<br>Suddenly he caught sight of movement further down the street. Female laughter floated toward him and he took off after it. This time she wouldn't get off easily.  
>"Not this time, you sneaky little waif," he grumbled rushing to the end of the block and pausing. He looked around, hoping to catch another glimpse of the female Felt member. Sometimes the fact that she was as black as he was and could easily blend in with the shadows made things frustrating. Then again so did her ability to worm around and bend the universe to her will with a simple thought.<br>He caught another glimpse of her just then, walking away from him as if she wasn't even aware he was out there after her. He highly doubted that. She knew. She always knew and she knew he knew she knew.  
>Dang, that sounded so stupid now that he thought about it.<br>Of course that realization should have prevented him from doing what he was about to do, but at the moment he was too ticked off at her for shooting out his bedroom window and pointing out that he was half naked that he didn't care.  
>Sometimes even the smartest people did something completely idiotic.<br>Snowman led him all the way to an old and rundown building in the "bad" part of town. If you could call any part of the city good, that is.  
>He paused, watching her go inside the one story house, suspicious. What was she planning now?<br>The female Dersite obviously had a reason for leading him here, though he wasn't sure what that could be yet. Maybe she thought she'd lure him inside and kill him, or something along those lines.  
>No, she wouldn't do that. She enjoyed making his life miserable too much. If he died her fun would be over seeing as she didn't bother messing with the other three members of the Midnight Crew at all, just him.<br>That gave him a little confidence and he quickly walked toward the building, holding his knives tightly in his black, gloved hands. This time if she decided to have a little fun with him she'd get a present in the shape of a knife in her arm.  
>Spades Slick pushed the door open cautiously and slipped inside, slowly shutting the door behind him.<br>He'd entered a large, empty room. Each wall had a closed door but other than that, there was nothing else in the room. He frowned. Was this some kind of fun house and where had that blasted female gone off to?  
>He looked at each of the doors, frowning intently. This had to be some kind of mind game she was playing. She most likely expected him to chose the most apparent door and he wasn't going to do that. So he chose the one on the left because it was the least likely one.<br>He found himself in a long hallway that branched off in a T shape at the end. The far wall had another door but he couldn't see around the corners from where he stood. For all he knew she could be waiting for him at the end.  
>That was a risk he'd just be willing to take.<br>Gripping the handle of his knife, he slowly and cautiously headed down the hall. It wasn't long before he reached the T. There he paused and cautiously peeked around the corner, seeing nothing but another door on either end. He frowned. Still nothing.  
>Where was that witch?<br>He sneaked to the door at the left end of the T and opened it, looking inside. It was a broom closet, full of cleaner, mops, and buckets and an awful stench. He shut the door quickly and turned his attention to the other door. The door also proved to be a closet, though it didn't have that awful smell in it. That only left the door at the other end of the T to investigate.  
>Gripping his knife tightly he walked to the door and grabbed the knob, yanking it open and finding... an empty room.<br>Frowning he slipped into the room. This looked similar to the previous room he'd entered, only it didn't have four doors, It had two. The one he'd just entered and another one directly across from him.  
>Without hesitating he walked toward that one. "Hmmm..."<br>Suddenly the door behind him slammed shut. He gasped and spun around, grabbing the doorknob and pulling on it.  
>Locked.<br>Cursing he yanked on the door once more then slammed his fist against it. "Let me out!" he shouted.  
>But the door remained stubbornly closed.<br>Cursing, he leaned against it and attempted to pick the lock. He was so preoccupied with what he was doing he didn't notice he was no longer the only person in the room.  
>Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind and shoved a sweet smelling rag over his nose and mouth.<br>Chloroform  
>Gagging he struggled, trying to get the cloth off his face. He kicked and fought against it, flailing madly. But the person holding on didn't let go, keeping the cloth pressed firmly against his face.<br>Eventually his struggling grew weaker as the chemical began to take affect then stopped altogether and he lost consciousness.  
>Snowman smiled to herself as he fell limply against her chest. "Gotcha."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

The haunting strains of a lone violin seeped into Spades ears as he slowly retrn to the world of consciousness.

He moaned, coming to slowly. Where was that music coming from? It sounded like it was in the same room, but his head was hurting so badly from what he figured was a hangover that the sound could simply being amplified from a different place. He really needed to cut down on the booze.

Why was someone playing a violin?

Groaning he opened his white eyes, taking in a blurry room that quickly cleared up, revealing his current location. His eyes widened.

He was in a green colored room with black shadows cast on the walls by the furnature. A four poster bed, med up with light creen pillows and blankets, was pushed against the back wall. Another wall had three clocks hanging on it and the wall on the right side of the bed held a giant mirror. All the green, plus the much hated clocks, clued him in that he was somewhere in the Felt's lair.

How had he gotten there? He didn't even know where the building was located and if he did he would have blown it up a long time ago.

Then it came to him as he remembered what had happened. Leaving his room, chasing Snowman through the streets and into a buildings... getting ambushed.

Snowman! She'd planned the whole thing, he just knew it!

No wonder she'd let him sight her so easily. She'd wanted him to follow her the whole time so she could kidnap him. He growled, clenching his fists against the bonds. That cursed female!

When he got out of this he was going to make her regret the day she ever took off that ring.

He squirmed around, trying to loosen the ropes binding him to the chair. They held firmly. Whoever had tied them had done a very good job at it.

They'd even taken away all of his knives and anything else he could use to free himself, well everything by his teeth but he could bend over far enough to use them either. If he tried it would just be extremely painful.

Cursing he leaned forward and started 'walking" the chair over to the door, though it looked like he was simply making noise to irritate people. The chair and its prisoner jerked slowly toward the exit door, the chair making an annoying "rrrnttt" noise. He figured as soon as he got to it he'd be free...

Yeah right. He was still tied to the chair and had no way of getting untied without a knife. What difference would it make if he reached the door if he had no way of opening it? He figured he'd deal with that problem once he was out of there.

But just as he reached the door it burst open and who could be there but snowman herself, in her three in the morning dress. The two stared at each other silently for a long moment then the female raised her foot and rested it on the front of the chair, kicking it backward across the room. The back slammed into the wall, painfully crushing his arms in the process.

He responded to this by cursing her out.

She smirked at him. "Going somewhere, Slick?" she asked.

Spades didn't answer because it was obvious what the answer was. He glared at her darkly, his pointed teeth clenched together. She could have broken his arms with that little stunt.

She smirked, taking a drag on her cigarette and blowing the smoke in his direction. He made a face then coughed, choking on the smoke. She smiled and put the cigarette out using his forehead to do so making him wince.

"Not as smart as I thought you were," she said, turning away from him. She faced the full length mirror on the back of the door, watching his reflection as she took off her hat. "I figured you of all people would be too smart to fall for such an old trick."

He started to say something but stopped himself. She was right about that. He had fallen for her little trap easily. Probably because she'd known he'd lose his temper and only focus on getting revenge on her. He was getting way too predictable and that was making him easy to take advantage of.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "What? no smart alack comment?" she asked, reaching back to pull down the zipper on her dress as she continued to speak. "That's new. You usually have a choice insult ready to throw at me about everything, even when I was the queen."

"Don't even bring that up, you slut!"

She looked at him, grinning. "Much better."

He looked away sharply, muttering under his breath. It took a moment for him to notice she was disrobing right in front of him."What do you think you're doing, woman?" he shouted at her.

"Changing." she said. The dress dropped down to her ankles, revealing her sleek dark figure, curves and all. He hissed and looked away. "Not in front of me! I don't want to see your disgusting body!"

"You didn't used to find my body disgusting." she remarked as she set her hat on the dresser. "Remember those nights I'd call you up to my throne room when the king was away?"

Spades made no response. He knew she was just trying to get a rise out of him and he wasn't going to satisfy her this time. All of that was in the past and it left a bad taste in his mouth when he thought about it too much.

He kept his mouth and eyes shut, waiting her to just finish what she was doing and get down to explaining to him why she'd brought him here. He highly doubted it was for a happy reunion, she had something else on her twisted mind.

The Dersite already knew he wouldn't like it.

For awhile there wasn't any sound, except the ones Snowman made as she moved around her room, going through her routine of changing from one outfit to took quite awhile and Spades probably would have fallen asleep if a cold hand hadn't touched his cheek, jerking him back to reality.

He looked up at Snowman who was leaning over him and grinning. She looked amused that she'd startled him. He hissed and jerked his head away, cursing at her. He'd stupidly let his guard down again.

"She chuckled, pulling away, revealing that she was in her normal clothing, a black trench coat with green highlights. Her skin seemed to glow in some areas with the light from billions of stars."Something on your mind, Slick?" she asked him.

"Nothing I'd tell you."

"Ah well.." she sighed, turning back to the dresser. "You will have to, if you want to leave here alive."

"I doubt you intend to keep me alive anyway," he shot back bitterly.

"Oh, my dear Jack Noir," she said, grinning in a mockig way. "Why would I want to kill my favorite toy?"

"I'm not your toy," he snarled.

She chuckled condescendingly, placing a hand on his cheek. "Slick, you've been my toy from the very beginning."

He hissed jerking his face away from her touch. She always called him that, and even worse things when they lived on Derse. Back then he didn't have the ability or right to say anything about how she treated him because he worked for her. Now he could say what he wanted, even if she did abuse him.

Spades Slick wasn't her Jack Noir any longer. He was a feared mob boss and did what he wanted, not what she commanded. She didn't seem to realize that most of the time.

But even now she continued being a thorn in his side. She was the blame for him having to become an exile anyway, but maybe he should thank her as well. No, he would never do that, she didn't deserve it.

Now if only he could get rid of her for good without risking having the universe destroyed in the process...

"Look at me, Slick." she hissed suddenly. Against his better judgment he did so, only to get slapped hard across the face. He yelled, cursing her out. "What was that for?" he demanded angrily.

She shrugged. "I just felt like it."

"Compentous she-witch!" he shouted. "I'm not going to-"

She hit him hard in the face. His head smacked against the wall behind him from the blow, sending an explosion of pain and colors through his skull. He groaned, his vision blanking out for a few seconds as he fought to stay conscious.

Before he could recover from that Snowman grabbed the front of his coat and pulled his toward her, putting strain on his arms which were tied behind him and to the chair.

"You're not going to what?" she asked darkly. "Stand there and let me do that to you? And what do you intend to do to stop me, Slick? You're currently in no position to do anything about it."

"You seem to forgot my partners will figure out what happened ." he informed her.

"And you seem to forgot that they have no way of finding out," she responded, letting him go. "I made sure of that. So you're alone, Slick. Alone and helpless."

He gritted his teeth, his body flopping back down onto the chair. The pain in his head and arms came at him full force, distracting him from her words as she continued speaking.

"This is familiar," she said, leaning against the wall and grabbing her whip off it's hook. "You coming into my room and being completely helpless, unable to prevent me from doing what I want."

"This is not the same."

"Isn't it?" she asked, tugging on the whip. "I think it is. Only back then I didn't have to tie you to a chair... my bed was a much more useful piece of furniture."

"Shut up!"

She lashed her whip out, cracking him across the face with it and tearing off jet black skin.

Spades felt the wet, hot sensation of blood trickling down his torn cheek. He gritted his teeth at the pain, practically biting his tongue for stupidly falling for her bait. That had been exactly what she'd wanted him to do.

"Why don't we go over this again now," she said, growing serious. "Your comrades won't find you because I covered my trail well and left them a little "clue" on your whereabouts that will lead them in circles should they decide to come looking for you." she leaned against the wall. "Of course that clue is fake but it's written in the way you would say things so they won't know it's fake. They also won't worry about you."

"What did you do?" he demanded hoarsely.

"I didn't hurt them if that's what you're thinking." she smirked. "Like I said, I left them something behind so they wouldn't worry about their dear leader." she wrapped the end of the whip around her wrist and gripped it tightly. "So don't you start flipping out, Noir."

"Don't call me that!"

"I can call you whatever I want," she informed him, standing right in front of the chair. She raised her leg and rested ehr foot on the edge. "You have no authority now. You're helpless and you'll do whatever I want you too. Disobeying me is not an option."

"No."

"No?"

"No." he sneered. "This isn't Derse, your highness." he said that in a bitter tone. "You seem to forget this world is different from that place, I'm different..."

"No, Slick, I have been watching you since you first made it to this city," she corrected him, looking soemwhat sad. "You aren't any different from the way you used to be." she leaned over, wrapping part of the whip around his neck. "No different at all. A fancy suit and tie will never be able to hide that."

"Do you ever get tired of hearing the sound of your own voice?"

She tightened the whip around his throat. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you," she said. "Just remember, you have no advantages here." "For now I'm the only person who knows you're here. If you wish to live you'll do what I say and I won't feel obliggated to tell Lord English and the others about you."

She was right about that. He held his tongue, focusing on breathing with what little airway he had left. If she kept this up he wouldn't have to worry about the others or what they'd do to him.

"Having trouble breathing?" she asked tightening it further. "Keep trying my patience and I will kill you."

They both knew she'd never do that. She had too much fun messing around with him, but that didn't mean he wanted ehr choking him with her Black Inches.

"Well?" she asked, still keeping her whip tightly tied around his neck. "Answer me!"

He gasped something, beginning to squirm on the chair. How could he answer her if she was choking him? He gagged and tried to kick her away. Snowman didn't seem bothered by his actions, continuing to choke him until his struggling weakened.

Just when he was ab out to pass out she released him, allowing him to breath again.

He leaned over, gasping for breath as she stepped back and curled the whip around her arm. She stood over him, weatching him gulp in lungfuls of air.

"I think I'm getting tired of you for now," she said suddenly.

He was getting tired of her too but he was too busy catching his breath to say so. For now all he wanted to focus on was breathing. And he would have done so if she hadn't given him a sharp blow to the head that knocked him out cold. He grunted with impact then black out, flopping limply into the chair.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3_  
><em>

_Derse: Years Previous_

The banquet hall in the palace filled with the merry strains of piano music.

Jack Noir sat at the piano, his black gloved fingers moving smoothly over the keys. In his spare time he'd come here to practice and use the music to get his mind off things. Music was such a necessary therapy with all he had to deal with the rest of the time and it was welcome.

It surprised him sometimes how he could create such wonderful melodies just placing his fingers on the right pieces of ivory. It was a miracle of its own. A miracle he could create without much effort. Music never lied. It was honest. It always helped him put his thoughts in the right perspective.

Right now he was doing a lot of thinking.

He knew he should consider himself lucky. He worked directly under the queen which others said was an honor. In a way it was because it gave him advantages but the rest of the time it was more of a curse than a blessing. He never seemed to have any privacy, the queen considered his life and what he did in his spare time her's.

And usually his spare time belonged to her and her alone.

He paused, hearing footsteps on the purple marble floor. He kept his hands on the keyboard and his back to the door, hoping whoever it was wouldn't bother him, would just pass on by.

He wanted to be left alone. Just, for once, to have that spare time for his own enjoyment.

_Is it really that hard to allow such a thing for me?_

After a moment the footsteps stopped. He could sense a pair of cold, white eyes staring at his back but he didn't turn around to see who they belonged to. He pretended to ignore the presence, running his fingers over the piano keys once more in an attempt to play another song.

That is until someone put their hand on his shoulder. He froze, glancing at the hand. It was sleek and feminine, telling him right away who it belong to.

"Don't stop," a sultry voice said close to his ear. "Play it again."

Jack started up again though with her hand on her hand resting on his shoulder he couldn't concentrate as well, not with the black queen's hand resting like a hot iron rod on his jacket, and started making mistakes. He stopped completely when she tightened her grip, digging her sharp fingernails into the thin black cloth covering his shoulder.

"That is not what I want to hear," she hissed.

He clenched his fists, biting back the insult that came to his tongue. It would not be a good idea to offend her royal highness. He'd done it before and he didn't want a repeat of the beating he'd gotten for doing so.

Even if cursing her out did bring him a black sense of satisfaction.

"I think you're messing up on purpose," she said to him. "Start over and this time don't mess up."

It wasn't that easy with her standing so close and breathing down his neck. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and started over, playing the song without a single mistake.

As he played the queen's grip on his shoulder relaxed.

"Much better." she said after a moment.

Jack said nothing, continuing to play the piano, feeling a warmth on his back as she pressed herself against him.

She sighed softly, enjoying the sound. The female carapace's bad mood softened which allowed him to relax as much as he could with her still being near him.

After awhile he stopped, no longer desiring to play. She'd come in and ruined his alone time already, rare as it was. He felt as if the one thing that was actually his had been violated. Couldn't he have anything to himself at all?

"Finished now, Mr. Noir?" the queen's voice breezed into his ear.

He gritted his teeth, tempted to tell her he wasn't and to shove off, but she'd know if he was lying so he merely kept his mouth shut and nodded his head.

"Good." she touched his shoulder again. "Then I want you to come with me. I have something very important to discuss with you."

He wondered what exactly that could be but didn't ask. It was probably the same old same old. He sighed and got up from the piano bench. He'd find out what she wanted when they got to wherever they were going but hopefully it was something different.

"Come with me." she headed out of the ballroom.

Jack followed after her without a word, blanking out his mind as they walked. If he didn't allow himself to feel he would have an advantage. If he had an advantage she wouldn't be able to dominate him fully.

A few minutes later they entered the royal bedroom.

The Black Queen sat down on the bed and looked down at Jack who remained by the door, stone faced. Silence stretched between them as both waited for the other to speak.

Finally he couldn't take the silence any longer. He asked with annoyance creeping into his tone. "My lady? May I be so bold as to inquire your desire for my presence?"

"As if you didn't already know." she stared at him.

He blinked, her tone surprising him. The Black Queen usually spoke to him in that haughty taunting when she ordered him tokeep her company at night. This time she sounded irritated, and not in a good way.

Jack honestly didn't know what she wanted this time so he said nothing, leaving it to her to tell him what exactly she thought he should know. If it wasn't sex or her form of playing, what was it?

The queen got up and walked over to him, leaning over and glaring at him with hot white eyes. "So you're going to play dumb then?" she asked. "All right then. I'll bite; I know what you've been doing in your free time and I want it to stop."

He frowned. She knew all too well what he did in his spare time because most of it was spent with her! What else could she be talking about? Wasn't she satisfied with what she got? Or did she want to take away his piano playing privileges too?

Never!

Now he was irritated himself and did not bother hiding it from her. He glared back at her as he began his retort. "What am I doing in my spare ti-"

She slapped him across the face cutting off the response before he could finish. "Don't question my intelligence," she growled. "overthrowing me will never happen, ring or no ring."

He held his cheek, biting his lip to keep himself from commenting about that. His optics fell on the gold ring on her finger. For now it didn't have much power because the players of the 'game" wouldn't be old enough to enter it for a few more years. Even so it still had power and was to be feared along with its wearer. Did she actually think he planned on taking her ring from her?

Fat chance of that. The very idea was stupid. _Keep your filthy ring, I don't want anything that belongs to you!_

She grabbed his arm, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Listen to me!"

He looked up at her, his eyes widening slightly by her tone. She glared at him with white hot eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he hissed, his temper rising. "I'm not planning on overthrowing you." well not yet anyway. It was way to early to even begin planning such a thing and it would be next to impossible anyway.

"Don't lie to me, jack Noir" she snarled, shaking him. "I know you are. You and the other three. Just admit it."

Jack tried to free his arm from her grip. Not only was she a selfish, vain, sadistic witch she was also paranoid."I told you I don't know what you're talking about!"

The black queen held onto his arm, hissing the words in a dangerous tone as she leaned her face close to his own. "If I find out you're lying you'll wish I had killed you."

Sometimes he already wished she had. He jerked again growling out an insult which she ignored as let go of his arm before pulling back. Jack rubbed his limb, wincing at the pain. Her fingernails were sharp. They'd managed to puncture the material on his jacket and the skin on his arm and he was bleeding.

The queen watched him, softening slightly when she saw the blood. "Did I hurt you?" she asked him, in a faux concerned tone.

Jack shot her a glare. She could spare that false anxiety, he knew she didn't care if he was hurt or not.

"Tell me."

"It's just a scratch," he said in an icy tone. "It's no big deal."

"Come here." she said,beckoning him with a finger.

He stayed where he was. He was close enough to her already, he didn't have a single desire to come even an inch nearer or be touched again. If it was like any other time he knew exactly what would happen if he obeyed her order.

"You really like trying my patience, don't you?" she demanded, irritation returning to her tone. "Why don't you ever just follow my orders without making things more difficult?" she got up from the bed, and returned to him.

Jack started to back away, his left hand reaching into his belt to grab the knife he had hidden under his shirt. Recently he'd taken up the habit of carrying it around. Knives always made him feel secure.

"I'm beginning to wonder why I even gave you your status," she went on, her hands on her hips as she loomed over him. "You don't obey orders, you give me trouble every chance you get and-" she grabbed his neck, growling. "You just can't seem to get that look off your face."

He grabbed her hand, trying to pull it off his neck. She tightened her grip on it, shoving him back against the wall angrily and grabbing the knife away from him when he attempted to stab her with it. Not to kill, just to defend himself. "Did you just pull a knife on me?" she shouted.

He opened his mouth to respond but never got to.

The black queen pulled him away from the wall and threw him to the bed. He yelped, landing heavily on the mattress. She came after him, heading him off when he tried to get off, jumping onto it and grabbing his neck again, holding him down onto the mattress.

He gritted his teeth, pulling on her hands in a failed attempt to pry her hands off his neck, squirming frantically under her. What was she doing? Was she going to kill him because she thought he actually was planning on having her overthrown? She didn't even have facts to back that up!

All she had was an assumption based on nothing but crap!

"Don't think I'm going to let you get away with that," she threatened him, tightening her grip more as she slipped forward and sat on his chest so he couldn't get away. "Threatening me with a knife was the biggest mistake you've ever made."

He squirmed under her more, trying to free himself. Now he was shouting curses at her, too angry to be scared.

She leaned over him, glaring. "I think you need to be taught a lesson in respect," she hissed.

Soon, the only sounds that came from the bed chamber was tearing cloth and screams.

00000

_Present Day_

Spades Slick woke with a start, his body jerking him out of a horrible nightmare. He gasped, looking around himself, panting heavily.

He was still tied to the chair in Snowman's room but some things were different. The female was gone and the hands on the clocks had moved. It was now eight hours later than it had been previously.

By now the other members of the Midnight Crew would be wondering where he was and probably going out to search for him. He hoped they saw through Snowman's deceptive little note and would not start thinking all he had done was go off somewhere to be by himself.

They weren't idiots after all.

Thought sometimes they acted like them.

_Darn it!_

Dwelling on whether the others were idiots or not wouldn't get him any closer to getting out of this mess. He looked around the room, first wondering where Snowman had gone off to and second where did she hide all the sharp objects? The third thing he wondered was how much time did he have to look before she came back to mess with him more?

And mess with him she would. It was programmed into her after all.

He cursed the female out, jerking the chair around the room. Snowman should have learned from the previous incident that she should have tied his feet up as well because he could still move.

But there wasn't much else he could do tied to a chair, especially with no way of getting free. He couldn't even use his teeth to cut the rope, even though that had to be the dumbest idea that ever came to his mind. Why was he even entertaining the idea anyway?

_It worked once before, _he reminded himself.

Of course, back then he'd been tied to a bedpost and when he'd done that he'd nearly lost all of his teeth from chewing on a hard and rough rope. He shook his head, trying to to think about the incidents that had caused him to be tied in the past to begin with. They weren't exactly the funnest of times...

Growling he quickly shook the misery out of his mind and jerked the chair forward. He didn't need a knife. He just needed a sharp object, any sharp object. Anything would do, even a nail file, that is if Snowman had one of those.

He paused, glancing over at her dressed and vanity. There was a lot of stuff sitting on top of it but no nail file, just a pile of make up and jewelry and some other stuff women used to maker themselves look good.

He sneered. Snowman would never look good, no matter how much make up she put on. _She'll always be a cow. _

As he was laughing at his own witty humor he heard the sound of footsteps moving down the hall to Snowman's bedroom. He turned his head toward the door, cursing. She was coming back!

He kicked out, his foot contacting the dresser hard enough to send him flying back toward the wall, but not as far as he'd hoped.

The chair hit a bump in the floor and fell over with a bang, landing on it's side, his head and body facing the door. The footsteps outside stopped at the sound of the chair hitting the floor and there was a long silence.

Spades hoped whoever it was would not be curious enough to investigate.

Not ten seconds later he heard a key being inserted into the lock.

He cursed under his breath, realizing he was in trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

At that very moment the door opened and Spades Slick could see Snowman's feet and the lower part of her calves in the doorway. Slowly he lifted his head, seeing that she was looking down at him with a rather annoyed expression. "Well, well, what have we here?" she said after a moment of silence.

He lifted his head to see her smirking at him around her cigarette holder.

"Trying to escape, Slick?" she asked him. "You should know by now that isn't going to happen."

He growled at her even as she walked over and looked down at him with an amused expression. "Hmmm.. maybe I'll just leave you like that for awhile, to teach you a lesson." she said. "You can't exactly cause trouble if you can't move around."

"Just shut up!"

She chucked and kicked him hard in the stomach.

He gasped then coughed, trying to catch his breath. She'd knocked the wind out of him. "I think maybe you're the one who should be shutting up." she said kneeling down and looking at his face. "that is, if you don't want to be punished anymore."

He didn't respond because he couldn't, he was too focused on getting enough air to breath properly. But if he could talk she would have gotten an earful of profanity.

She got back up and went to the dresser and vanity combination. "So let me guess, you were trying to find something to cut yourself lose with and the chair fell over on you?" she turned back to him and blew smoke in his direction. "Don't answer that, I already know the conclusion."

Then why had she asked in the first place?

"Like I said before," she responded, matter of factly, "the only way you're getting out of here is if I let you and I don't intend to do so anytime soon, if at all."

That's what she thought. If he could free himself things would be a lot different. She wouldn't be so cocky right now, in fact she'd have a knife buried deep in her stomach...

"Oh Jack..."

"Don't call me that!" he shouted.

She rolled her eyes. "Let's not go in a circle, Slick," she said, using his current name. She seemed to enjoy switching, probably because it got under his skin so much. "It's boring."

"Then untie me and I'll make things interesting." He snapped at her. "Go on, I dare you."

She toed him with her foot, making a giggling sound. He was so amusing when he got like this. Of course she wasn't going to untie him, not yet anyway, she wanted to let him stew awhile. "Slick, I'm not stupid and I know you aren't either," she said as if she was talking to a child. "Much as you'd love to give me a taste of your knife you know you can't, unless of course you want the universe as you know it to crumble before you." she took another drag of her cigarette. "Sometimes I wonder if you have other reasons for not trying to kill me besides the obvious."

"Don't flatter yourself," he scoffed.

"I'm not flattering myself, I know how you are, slick." she sat the holder down and pushed away from the dresser. "but I'd suggest you keep your voice down. If the other members of the Felt find out I have you all to myself they won't be very happy." she rested her foot on the chair and gently rocked it. "and you think I'm bad, if all fifteen knew you'd be in pieces right now."

Spades didn't respond. She just might be right about that. He was just one person and he wasn't even armed. she'd taken all of his weapons away, including his war chest and knives. If he had to fight his way out of there without any kind of weapon he was dead.

"How would you like it if I did tell them?" she asked. "For now they don't know since I decided to keep you for myself."

"I don't care what you do."

"Do you really believe that?" she wanted to know. "Because I honestly don't think you do."

"Bluh bluh bluh," he said, rolling his eyes. "You women are all the same. You talk too much."

"And you don't change either," she remarked, unfazed by the insult.

"I'm just fine the way I am."

She chuckled. "Of course you'd think that, you never did think you could do wrong." Suddenly she leaned down and grabbed his arms, pulling him and the chair he was in up off the floor. "I'm tired of talking. I think it's about time we did something different..."

00000

Derse: Years Previous

Jack Noir lay on the black queen's bed, naked with his wrists tied to one of the bed posts. He stared at the ceiling of the room, looking completely out of it.

Hours had passed since she'd ordered him to come into her room and then had dealt a severe punishment on him for pulling out a knife on her. Red welts covered his black skin, throbbing with pain from her scratching at him with her long fingernails out of anger and a perverse pleasure at the sound of his screams. At some point during his punishment his mind had shut down to what was happening and he didn't even remember what happened after she'd slashed a bloody scratch across his chest.

As his mind slowly began woke to reality, he wondered why she hadn't killed him in the process.

It had been clear she'd wanted to. Everything in her body language had proven this. So why hadn't she...?

As his thoughts came into focus he became aware of the pain in his body and a cold feeling within himself. Something was beginning to freeze inside him as his hurt slowly began to form into cold bitterness. She'd gone too far that time, destroying what little bits of self he had left.

His very soul was turning into a block of ice.

The Archagent closed his eyes, gritting his teeth and forcing whatever tears he might have shed to stay locked inside him. He wouldn't cry and he wouldn't break, he would not give her any sort of satisfaction.

She would pay, no matter how long it took she would pay.

The sound of movement caused him to look toward the bedroom door.. It slowly opened and in stepped the Draconian Dignitary, one of the other higher ups in the castle, and in some ways his best friend. If he could call anyone his friend, that is.

The taller Dersite stared at Jack expressionless for a moment before sighing as if he'd been expecting this all along.

"The queen said I'd find you here," he said, walking over to the bed and gave him a once over. "Looks like you went overboard again, Mr. Noir."

Jack didn't respond. He was still trying to recover himself enough to talk. It would take awhile.

"I'm afraid I can't free you, though," this companion told him, sounding like he didn't really care. "She ordered me to come here and make sure you were alive but that's about it. I don't think she's finished with you yet."

No... that block of ice inside him grew harder. What else could she do to him?

The Dignitary actually shot him a sympathetic look, or what could be mistaken for one. Out of the four most important people working for the royal couple, Jack Noir was the only one she treated so abusively. The others had discussed on previous occasions that the queen might have black feelings for Jack Noir but they never said that to him. They were pretty sure if they did he wouldn't take it very well. But this... this made the Dignitary wonder if Noir already knew.

The tall man lit a cigarette, looking down at his shorter comrade. "Whatever you did I think you might want to apologize to her Majesty unless you want a repeat of what happened just now," he blew the smoke out of his mouth. "you know how she is. I think she'd give you a break if you grovel."

"Nnn..." he moaned, shaking his head, though it hurt his neck.

"I am perfectly aware it would hurt your pride to do so but in this case I'd suggest just doing it before she finds other ways to humiliate you further."

"No!" he snapped, suddenly gaining full access to his emotions. "I won't apologize!"

The Dignitary sighed, shaking his head sadly. "You're just asking for more pain, Noir," he reminded him. "She's not going to let you off easy this time and you know it."

Jack glared at him, squirming against his bonds. "Untie me and we'll see who gets off easy," he hissed.

The other capace stared at him with no emotion. "You know very well I can't do that, Noir," he said quietly.

Jack started squirming around to free himself, growling. If his so called "best friend" wouldn't do it he'd do it himself.

"If you keep this up you're going to go black for her," he went on.

"I will not go black for her!" he shouted. "I will kill her!"

The dignitary made no comment to his proclamation. He concluded that silence would be the best choice at that moment, especially since he heard footsteps coming down the hall to the room.

Jack also heard the footsteps and went rigid, his white eyes widening as he turned his attention toward the door. Oh no.

His comrade also looked toward the door, sinking into a stony silence as the portal slowly slid open revealing the Black Queen standing there, her one hand on the doorknob and her other on her hip.

The queen gave the Dignitary a look and he quickly slipped out of the room, leaving her alone with Jack Noir who glared at her from the bed.

She frowned as she moved slowly toward him. "Still haven't learned your lesson, Jack?" she asked him, though his expression answered that question more than any words could. "Do I have to teach you another lesson?"

He shouted obscenities at her which made her frown deepen. So much for breaking his spirit, her punishment only seemed to make him more defiant and angry toward her...

Interesting...

For some reason that made her smile.

0000

Present Time

Spades Slick's arms felt like they were coming out of their sockets. It was utter agony but it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Carapaces like himself and his consorts had a high tolerance for pain since their bodies were encased in hard shells. Of course that didn't mean he wanted that pain, he'd rather be giving it to other people.

He growled, jerking away from what was causing all that pain and got a slap across the face for it.

"Hold still, Slick!" Snowman's voice snapped at him.

"Get your filthy claws off me, you vile waif!" he shot back, turning slightly to kicked her off of him.

She snarled, grabbing onto his arms again and yanking hard enough to make him yelp in pain. "Do that again and I'll shove this knife into your spine!"

He growled but went still, asking himself how he'd been so stupid to wind up making a bad situation worse.

The mob boss thought he could outsmart the coat clad female, choosing to make the dumbest move in his life.

The moment she'd untied him from the chair he'd given her a shove which had knocked her back into the wall. While she'd been recovering he'd made a break for the door, kicking it open and taking off down the hall...

Only to run into that big burly Felt member Cans who'd taken great pleasure in pummeling him before Snowman managed to stop him. "Stop that right now!"

"Yur gonna get in soo much trouble is the Big Boss finds out you got the little mobster fur a playthang," Cans informed the only female Felt member as she stood before him with her hands on her hips.

"Don't tell him and he won't ever know," she said, frowning.

"What in it fur me?" he asked her, refusing to hand the carapace over.

Snowman didn't respond to the question, obviously needing time to come up with a good response. Eventually she did come up with something, something she said in such a low tone Spades couldn't hear it. Whatever it was it had appeased the brute and he'd handed the mobster over to the sole female Felt member.

"Don't furget." he wearned her.

"I won't."

Of course that didn't make him any more secure and he didn't relax. Spades squirmed against her hold. "Stop it!" he shouted at her.

"If you say so." the released her hold on him, allowing the gangster to crash onto the floor. His arms, which had been dislocated during the beating from the large punk, flopped uselessly beside him. He started cursing her out, using every foul four letter word in the English language.

She took it in stride, giving him a good whack on the buttocks with her black inches which only made him scream louder at her.

Snowman then simply grabbed his ankle and drug his screaming, cursing, form back to her room where she cerimoniously dumped him on the floor and sat on his back as she waited for him to cool down.

"Get your fat butt off my back!" he shouted at her angrily, though he actually used much more colorful language. "I'm not your bloody throne!"

Snowman merely chuckled at his tirade and lit a cigarette.

After awhile Spades finally calmed down, running out of steam and profanity. After she was satisfied that he was indeed in a civil state and he was quiet she looked down at him. "Ready to talk yet, Slick?" she asked, still not moving from her position on his back.

"Stupid woman." he growled.

"I guess that's a no." she put her cigarette out on his butt which made him spew another string of curses.

She got up now, leaving him to his yelling which he instantly stopped when her weight lifted off his back. He watched her in silence, suspicious. He would have gotten up and attacked her but his arms were still useless.

After a moment of silence, and after Snowman finished her cigarette, she looked down at him and asked casually. "Are you quite finished?"

Slick looked away, not wanting to talk to her.

"You going to pout now?" she asked, frowning. "You can't blame me for this, Jack. You shouldn't have run out of my room like that. If anyone's at fault here it would be you."

"Oh shut up," he growled.

She toed his side with her foot. "Oh stop it," she ordered. "keep that up and I won't put your arms back into their sockets. You can just stay that way with your limbs flopping all over."

"And you would enjoy that, wouldn't you?" he snapped.

"Well it would keep you from acting like an idiot more," she gave his butt a light kick. "and you can't do anything to me like this, except maybe bite my ankles."

"Oh shut up!"

She shook her head. "Jack, Jack, Jack." she said in exasperation motherlike tone. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You could let me go," he growled at her."'and never put your grimy hands on me again!"

She chuckled, grabbing the back of his suit coat and yanking him to his feet. "Now why would I want to do that?" she asked. "Why would you want me to do that? We can't have a black relationship if I don't get to be near you."

"Maybe that's what I want!"

She placed her hand on his neck, leaning forward and resting her chin on his shoulder. "We both know you don't want that," she informed him subtly. "You can lie to yourself and to me but we both know what you desire is not that you say."

"What would you know what that?" he growled, squirming in her grip.

She whispered in his ear. "Because I know you better than you even know yourself..."


	5. Chapter 5

For a brief instant neither of them moved, both seemingly frozen in time. This didn't last long though because the next instant a sharp pain shot through the male carapace's shoulders and down his spine.

Spades Slick cried out and roughly jerked away from Snowman. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, spinning around to face the female.

Snowman, unfazed, took a drag on her cigarette before saying. "I was trying to get your arms back into place or would you rather they hang at your sides like limp spaghetti?"

He frowned, looking down at his arms hanging uselessly at his sides. In truth he wanted to have full use of them again but he wasn't willing to risk it by having Snowman touch him. But he couldn't exactly get out with his arms like that nor could he even get his arms back into place by himself so he knew he didn't have a choice in the matter.

She knew this too which which might explain why she was smiling the infuriating smile.

Spades drew to the obvious conclusion that he was basically at her mercy, like always. He either let her put them back into their sockets or he stay the way he was, completely helpless. As well as looking like a complete idiot.

"Well?" she demanded.

He glared at her. "Fine!"

She beckoned with a finger. "Then obey your Queen, Jack."

He cursed her out even as he walked over to her.

Snowman smiled. "That's better," she said, reaching out to grab his arms.

Spades glared at her "Just watch yours-OOOWWW!" he cried out as she roughly grabbed him and forcefully yanked his arms back into their sockets with a loud SNAP. He jerked away from her, cursing. "What's is wrong with you?"

"You're welcome."

He grumbled something as he rubbed his sore arms which tingled as they regained circulation.

She took another drag of her cigarette, smirking at him. "Now that that's out of the way I think we should continue where we left off."

"I'm afraid not." he smirked.

She rose a brow. "Oh, and why not?"

He grinned. "Because now you don't have the upper hand." he rushed at her fully intend on pummeling that smug look off her ugly black face.

Snowman waited until he was nearly on top of her before she suddenly moved swiftly to the side and thrust out her leg, easily tripping him.

Startled, he put out his hands to break his fall but couldn't prevent himself to landing on his face. The female, seeing her chance, jumped on top of him and pinned him down with her knee, reaching down and grabbing his hands which she pinned behind his back. "You were saying?"

He struggled in her grip, trying to break free. "Get off of me!"

"No, I don't think I will." she chuckled. "Not until you stop trying to escape and do what I say."

Like heck he would! Spades squirmed under her, growling angrily. He'd been under her rule once and he wasn't going to relive that hell of a life again. History wasn't going to repeat itself, not if he could help it. "Don't count on it."

"If you leave this room you will be out of my hands," she went out, digging the sharp end of his cigarette holder into the palm of his hand. "and the rest of the Felt will be left to do with you as they please, and believe me, they won't be as merciful as I am."

"I think I'll take my chances." Slick snarled, confident he could take care of himself, with or without a weapon. The Felt weren't exactly the smartest gangsters around.

"How far do you think you'll get without a weapon?" she questioned him. "You can't do much with those teeth of yours... except make a sexual encounter more pleasurable." she chuckled.

Snowman's little statement made him briefly flash back to the kingdom of Derse and some rather not so pleasant encounters with the Queen. He gagged at the memory, feeling like he would vomit. Why did she have to bring those things up? He managed to yank his hands free from her hold and placed them on the floor and started to push himself up, hoping to get her to take the hint and get off his back. Snowman, however, had no intention of anywhere and stayed where she was, actually amused by what he was doing. She made horse sounds which made him drop back onto his stomach.

Now she was just being stupid.

"Aww, don't want to take me for a ride, Slick?" she taunted.

"That's the last thing I'd want to do!" he retorted hotly.

"Are you afraid?" she asked him suddenly.

This question totally derailed his thoughts. "What?" What was this blasted woman going on about now?

Snowman reached down with her free hand and placed a finger on the back of his head, running it down and over the back of his neck. "You know what I mean," she responded when he shuddered. "Don't tell me after all this time you've forgotten."

Spades turned his head, looking over his shoulder at her the best he could without hurting himself. Their eyes met and held each other and for a moment it felt like her's were burning into his, drilling right into his mind and reading all of his thoughts, knowing all the little things he'd even done and every secret desire he held. Maybe he really was afraid, but not for the reasons she was thinking about.

"I'm not afraid of you," he finally growled.

Not anymore.

"Oh no?" she smiled and leaned toward him, grinning a grin that showed off her sharp white teeth which cause a black rage to suddenly flare into his chest as he wished he could put his fist into that wretched smile and knock it out of existence. "Why don't we just test the validity of that statement?"

"Just get off me."

"Remember the piano?"

How could he ever forget?

0000

Past Derse

Jack Noir banged on the piano keys, not even thinking of a tune, he was just venting, trying to just get it all out of his system. That queen! That woman! How he hated that female! How he wanted to wrap hs hands around that slender, black neck and squeeze the life out of her!

"I am not going black for you," he muttered. "I would never go black for someone such as yourself!" Jack slammed his fists onto the piano keys as if he was making a point. "No! Never!"

"If you break that piano her Highness will break you." spoke up a voice behind him.

"I don't care, Dignitary," he grumbled, glancing angrily over his shoulder at his 'friend". who stood calm, cool, and collected in the doorway to the ballroom. "and what does it matter to you anyway? It's not like you'd make her stop, just like you didn't help me the other day."

The other Dersite said nothing as he calmly took out a cigarette and lit it. He seemed to be giving Jack a moment to cool down before he answered him. "What could I have done?" he finally asked him after he took a long drag. "She is the Queen and you know it's against the law to harm her, or insult her for that matter, though that hasn't stopped you. If I had even laid a finger on her I would have been risking my own life."

Jack fell silent, realizing that was true, he really couldn't have done anything. Mentally he cursed the Queen and everything she stood for. "You could have at least said something." he grumbled, pouting as he back at the piano keys.

"You're still alive so that has to count for something."

"She wouldn't kill me," he grumbled. "She enjoys torturing me too much."

"Yes..."

His tone made Jack defensive. "Shut up!"

The other shrugged. "You're the one who said it."

"I know what I said!" he snapped. "You don't need to remind me!"

The taller carapace didn't answer, focusing on finishing up his cigarette instead of responding. "You might want to calm down."

"Can't you smoke that awful thing somewhere else?" Noir demanded angrily, ignoring the suggestion.

"Can't you stop banging on the piano?" the Dignitary shot back in an even tone.

Jack answered that question by slamming his fists so hard down on the keys that they cracked and the sound echoed through the room. Realizing what he'd done, the Dersite's eyes widened and he lifted his hands to stare down at the broken piano.

"Oh boy," his buddy said, taking another drag. "You're really in for it now."

Jack got up and backed away from the piano. He hadn't meant to break it! It had been an accident! How was he going to hide this from the Queen? The moment she saw those broken keys she'd know exactly who was to blame.

Jack cursed, clenching his fists. "This is your fault!"

"Actually it's not, Noir," The Dignitary sighed, lighting another cigarette. "I told you you should calm down, you as always decided not to listen. Why are we moirails again if you can't even let me do my job?"

"If you want to help me do something about this piano!"

"I'm not a magician, Jack," he told him, taking another drag. "I can't snap my fingers and fix your problem. You're going to have to deal with this yourself."

Jack was about to respond but his words were cut off when he heard the familiar sound of footsteps coming down the hall. He cursed, gritting his teeth as his mind began to race. What was he going to do now? If the Black Queen saw what he'd done to the royal piano he was dead.

The Archagent looked almost pleadingly looked at his 'friend".

"Well, Jack," he said, cocking a brow. "What are you going to do?"

He looked toward the piano then back at him. "Distract her while I find some place to hide this thing."

The taller Dersite sighed. "Very well." he dropped the cigarette and put it out with the heel of his boot before heading to the door. "I'll see what I can do."

After the Dignitary exited the room and Jack heard him strike up a conversation, rather politely, with the Queen, Noir turned his attention back to the piano. He walked over and placed his hands on the black varnished lid, giving it a push. Luckily for him the whole thing was on wheels so he didn't have to give it too hard a shove to get it rolling.

The wheels made a rather loud rumbling noise on the floor as he pushed which made him freeze, afraid the Queen had heard it.

"What was that?" he heard her ask, verifying his fears.

"Some of the servants are moving the furniture in the ballroom, my lady," the Dignitary told her. "it would be best for you not to go in there until they're done."

"I wasn't aware of this," she said. "why didn't anyone discuss with this me?"

"Its was going to be a surprise."

Jack pushed the piano again, trying to ignore their conversation. If he kept listening he'd risk getting caught and punished again. The last thing he needed right now was that.

"Surprise?" he heard her snap. "Why would you be planning a surprise? It's not my birthday."

"Why not?" he asked her calmly. Then he asked . "Care for a cigarette, your Highness?"

"Don't mind if I do," Jack heard her say as he managed to get the piano out of the room. Now he just had to find a place to stash it.

His office came to mind. It had those three walls that could be moved. He could push it behind one of those and hope no one noticed it when they came into his office. Since hardly anyone ever came in their anyway he could hide this thing for years without anyone spotting it.

Perfect.

He started pushing the instrument down the hall toward where his office was located. If the wall didn't work he could always bury it under that ever growing mount of paperwork he'd been putting off. but first he had to get the piano to his office before anyone saw him with it.

Luckily for him the hall was empty except for himself which really cut down on his chances of meeting other Dersites who would predictable stop him to ask stupid questions. He couldn't help smirking at his good luck.

The perfect crime.

Or it would have been if not for a staircase conveniently placed around the next corner.

Before he knew what was happening or could stop it the piano slipped out of his fingers and rolled down those stairs, making an awful racket as it did so. Jack cursed and ran after the thing, hoping to catch it before it reached the bottom and crashed. The piano, however seemed to have other plans and alluded his grip, reaching the bottom of the stairs and slamming into the wall with a loud, out of tune, crash.

Oh great. So much for the perfect crime. Surely the Queen had heard that.

Jack heard sounds of surprise and terror from below. "What was that?" he heard one terrified servant ask. Hearing footsteps coming from below and behind him from servants all over the palace coming to investigate the melodious noise, he decided to do the smart thing and took off down the hall away from the stairs. If he could get out of there before anyone saw him no one would know it had been him who murdered the royal piano.

Jack rushed to his office and shut the door behind him, leaning against it, panting. What was he going to do now? Surely this would tell her right away that it had been him who destroyed the piano. How would he be able to explain himself?

Maybe she wouldn't pin the blame on him. Maybe he could pretend he was at his desk all day and had no involvement with the destroyed instrument. Maybe she'd blame someone else, maybe the Courtyard Droll?

Yeah, why not?

That little joker was known for doing childish things anyway.

Reassured Jack quickly crossed the room and flopped down in the chair, grabbing a quill pen and some paperwork, trying to look busy lest someone come into the room and ask him about the piano. Like some lower minion or the Queen herself, though for the life of him he didn't know why the Queen would come to his office. He immersed himself in his work, trying to push the thoughts from his mind.

Hours passed and no one came by. The hall was silent as a grave and Jack began to wonder if he really had gotten away with it.

Unfortunately another awful thought came to him, one that plagued his mind no matter how hard he tried to push it away. What if she had figured it out already? What if she realized the Dignitary would only ever bother to do Jack favors like this? Dignitary wasn't always loyal, or caring and really had no big reason to cover his superior's rear. It was so hard to tell who the man was loyal to since he just didn't seem to give a darn about anything, especially if it came back to bite him in the future.

For all the Archagent knew, the man was already spilling his guts to the queen, acting like a tall raven colored stool pigeon.

Jack gritted his teeth, feeling himself getting angry. He better not!

But why not? a voice asked him. He's got nothing to loose if he tells her what you did.

He wouldn't do that, he argued back.

How do you know? He might be your moirail but that doesn't mean much in the long run. That only means he keeps you calm, it doesn't mean he'll do everything you want him to. What makes you think he would?

An image came to mind. The Dignitary calmly and smugly telling the Queen all about how Jack broken her priceless piano and why and, just to add flavor, he'd blab all the bad things Jack had said about her royal wenchiness. Jack cursed, slamming the pen onto the table, completely believing that his paranoid thoughts were true. That traitor!

Energized with rage he lunched himself out of his chair and charged toward the door, intent on going out and finding his so called moirail to give him a piece of his mind and maybe a piece of his knife as well.

He didn't make it.

Just as he reached the door it swung open, hitting him in the chest and knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. As he sat up, trying to recover from the sudden, unexpected blow, he found himself staring up at the Queen. She glared down at him, her white eyes narrow and hard as diamonds. In her hand she held what looked like a piece of wood. A black nicely varnished piece of wood...

Uh oh. His rear was toast.

"Good evening, Noir," she said in an icy tone. "Going somewhere?"


	6. Chapter 6

6

"Your highness," he gasped, scrambling to his feet. "I was just-"

A slap across the face cut off any stupid excuse he might have made up to save himself from her wrath. He backed up a step, holding his now red cheek. She glared at him, though she did not move from her place in the doorway.

"Do you think you're funny?" she demanded of him, shaking the piano shard in his face. "Do you think this is funny?"

Jack stammered something, trying to get his brain to function. Right now it wasn't doing much of that, seemingly deciding it wanted to shut down and leave him looking dumb. Why wasn't it working? It always did before. He always had something to say to her, something biting.

Think, Jack, think!

"Answer me!" she yelled, grabbing the front of his jacket in her fist.

Jack managed to regain his composure and attitude before he replied. "Maybe if you stopped rambling excessively and told me what you're talking about I'd be able to give you the proper response."

"You know what I'm talking about!" she shot back, waving it in front of his face again. "Now explain to me why you did it!"

"Did what?" he shouted back.

Her only response to that was another slap across the face.

Jack glared at her, holding his cheek. If she didn't have the power to end his life he would have slammed his fist into her face, not that he wasn't tempted to. The longer she harassed him, the more he just wanted to break every bone in her body and throw her corpse off the tower balcony. That would teach her a thing or two and she deserved it. No one would blame him.

Who was he kidding? Everyone would blame him. He'd get the king angry with him and he'd lose his head. Of course he couldn't strike her, even though he wished with all his hate blackened soul that he could.

The queen glared back at him, grabbing his arm and twisting it painfully behind his back. He cried out, and tried to break free but she held on tight, pressing her weight against him. He cursed at her, squirming madly in her grasp.

"Let go of me you freaking' stupid-" she leaned harder on his arm, cutting off the rest of his tirade.

"Shut up!" she hissed in his ear. "Shut up or I'll silence you permanently."

Jack began to protest but the pain in his arm silenced him. He'd rather not risk her breaking his arm because of his temper. The carapace just wished she'd get down to why she was there instead of beating around the bush and forcing him to tell her. This was her show, not his.

Even if he already knew why, it wouldn't be wise to tip her off.

Jack dropped his head, going still. Best if he just didn't move then she'd get tired of holding onto him and eventually let him go. In the meantime he gritted his teeth and breathed heavily as he tried to hold in his black rage.

The Queen meanwhile wasn't going to let him go anytime soon. she reached her free hand around and grasped his neck. "Are you going to answer my question now?" she hissed.

As soon as you tell what this is about, he thought. He knew it had to do with the piano but he wanted her to actually say it instead of forcing him to.

For a moment a tense silence filled the air, only being interrupted by Jack's heavy, pain filled breathing. Finally the Queen loosened her grip slightly, but didn't fully let go, which served as a warning to him not to try anything unless he wanted trouble for himself.

"Now," she said after a long moment. "are you going to answer or not?"

He was silent for a moment longer until she jerked on his arm again, sending pain lancing up his arm. "Is this about the piano?" he asked.

"Good guess." he could just feel her black lips curling up into a smirk. "and obviously from your statement you know something about it."

"What gives you that idea?"

"I'm not stupid, Noir," she growled.

Jack was tempted to question that claim until he realized it was foolish. Besides she was right, she wasn't stupid. She was just annoying as heck and asked stupid questions.

"Well why would I know anything about it?" he demanded.

"Because you knew what I was talking about before I even said it."

"Of course I did, the only thing with that color wood around here is the piano, what else would it be?" it was a lame excuse and he doubted she'd buy it, even he didn't.

She didn't. "Don't play dumb with me, Jack, we both know you would only be able to figure out what I was talking about if you were guilty and admitting it proves it."

"It proves nothin-" another yank on his arm cut off further protest.

"Don't make things worse by lying more," she ordered darkly. "I've had enough of your pretenses and falsehoods for the week."

Jack didn't dignify that with a response. What good would it do him anyway? Nothing.

"So tell me why you did it." she pressed him. "and don't lie."

For this response he didn't have to. "I did it because of you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you and all you stand for," he growled. "I did it because I'm sick of you and how you treat me. I did it because I hate your stinking guts."

She leaned on his arm again. "I'd watch my mouth if I were you."

"Or what? You'll kill me?" he smirked at her. "If you wanted me dead you would have done it already. You want me alive because you enjoy making me miserable."

He could just feel her smirking. "True."

He growled. "and what are you going to do about it?"

"About what?"

"The fact that I broke your precious piano that you don't even play anyway."

"I'm thinking..."

"Well while you're thinking." he jabbed at her with the elbow of his free arm. "I've got work to do."

She dodged the blow, boring down so hard on his arm he thought it was going to snap right off. "You can get back to work when I say you can," she shot back. "and right now I say you can't."

"Then do what you're going to do already so I can!" he yelled.

Now she did snap his arm. He heard the bone break with the sound of snapping wood and began to scream and curse in agony. The queen finally let him go and got a foot on his butt long enough to boot him over. "Now you can get back to work," she said before turning away and marching out of the office, leaving him laying on the floor to wallow in his pain.

000

Present Time.

"I remember you didn't have your idea of fun back then," he pointed out.

Snowman smirked, taking a drag of her cigarette. "who says I didn't?"

"You're sick, you know that?"

"Not as sick as you are, Slick," she smirked at him which caused that black hatred to flare up in his chest again.

Slick jerked forward to break her grip, snarling horrible profanities.

"Now, let's not start with that again," she scolded him. "it didn't get you anywhere before and it won't get you anywhere now."

"Then let me go." he snarled.

"Same goes for that statement as well." she shoved him forward. He stumbled and she let him go so he could crash back onto the floor.

Spades landed right on his face but he quickly recovered and turned over to face her in case she came at him again. Snowman hadn't moved though, she was standing back, smoking her cigarette and watching him with an amused expression on her cute black face.

"What are you smiling about?" he demanded, his rage mounting. "There's nothing funny about this at all!"

"Slick, do I have to gag you?" she asked, sounding irritated. So much for this kidnapping being any fun, Spades was just making her more annoyed and his yelling wasn't helping either. "or better yet tie you back up. This is getting old and I'm tired of you repeating yourself."

"Then either kill me or let me go" he snarled.

She put out her cigarette an d sighed. 'I'll do nether," she replied, grabbing up her whip off the hook on the wall. "I have a much better idea."

ooooo

Diamonds Droog looked at the note with the knife holding it to the door to Spades Slick's apartment with a feeling of apprehension. Once again the hot head had gone off by himself and probably got into some sort of trouble. He wondered why he was even at the man's apartment to begin with. He'd had other plans, ones involving that cute young thing with the pale skin down at the bar.

But that would have to wait. Clubs Deuce had called him earlier that day and demanded he go and see where their fearless leader was. Droog had tried to tell him whatever Slick was up to was probably personal and involved a lot of blood and death. The smaller Dersite had started talking fast, sounding like a chipmunk on caffeine and wouldn't shut up his motor mouth until his comrade agreed to go to the apartment and check on the boss man.

Obviously it had been a wasted trip.

Putting out his cigarette he yanked the note off the door and studied it. The handwriting was Slick's all right and the knife used to hold it in place belonged to him as well. Droog dug his cell phone out of the pocket of his suit's jacket and called Deuce back.

The hyper kid answered on the first ring.

"Yeeeeeeah?" he answered.

Droog held the phone away with a frown. Was Deuce spouting internet meme's again? He waited for the little guy to run out of air before speaking. "It's Droog." he said after a long moment when his associate finally took a breath.

"Did you find anything?" Clubs demanded.

"Only a note," he replied, taking a pack of cigarette's out of his pocket. "looks like he's left town on business."

"Why didn't he tell any of us then ?"

"Because he doesn't trust us," he replied blandly. "and it's probably something personal and none of our business."

"How do you know that note was written by him?" the other asked in a whiny voice.

"Because who else would write a simple note and use so much profanity?" he asked, putting the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.

"It could be a forgery!" Clubs exclaimed. "Maybe someone else who knows how he talks wrote it."

"And who would be smart enough to do that and copy Spades' handwriting down to a T?" he demanded. Why did the kid always have to come up with weird conspiracy theories? "and if it is faked we can't prove it anyway."

"You don't know that!" his comrade continued to whine.

"And neither do you." and he hung up before Deuce could argue his point further.

Droog looked back at the note again. It really did look like Slick's handwriting but he couldn't help thinking about what Clubs had claimed. Could someone who knew Spades very well have copied his dictation down to a science? But who and why?

If it really was fake Droog intended to find out the truth.

He dropped his cigarette onto the floor, crushing it out with the heel of his shoe before turning and heading back down the hall with the note clutched firmly in his gloved hands.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Spades Slick tried to make a break for it but Snowman cracked her whip, the black inches wrapping tightly around his neck. He gagged and grabbed at it and she yanked him backward. He landed heavily on his back, gasping for air, as he clawed at the whip to untangle it.

She stood over him, frowning. "You have ten seconds to make a choice, Slick," she told him, her tone holding no sign of the usual playful note. "You can stop trying to escape and live or continue being a foolish idiot and die. If you chose to continue being stubborn I will kill you now and save myself the trouble of dealing with you further or risking Doc Scratch finding you and taking care of you himself. What do you choose?"

If he wasn't so focused on trying to breathe he would have spit on her or cursed her out, however he could do neither. Instead he didn't nod or shake his head, focusing solely on trying to get air and it was hard since the whip was tangled tightly around his neck in a strangle hold.

"I'm waiting." she said impatiently.

Darkness appeared at the edges of his vision and slowly closed in. He was dying! He panicked, realizing she really would kill him.

"Well?"

As if to tell her he would comply he reached up and grabbed her arm in a viselike grip. She seemed to sense what this meant and unwrapped the whip. The moment the choking pressure was off his neck he took a deep gasp of air and sat up, gulping in air desperately as he held his bruised neck.

Never before in his life had he ever been so grateful that she actually extended mercy on him.

Snowman remained where she was, the whip wrapped around her hand as she stood over him with it, as if waiting for him to try something foolish again. If he tried anything after he could breath again he would have some new scars to show for it. Maybe this time he'd actually learn not to think he could get away with messing with her like that.

"You crazy wench!" he shouted when he was able to breath properly. "What the heck is wrong with you?"

"I was making a point," she told him impatiently. "and teaching you a lesson I hope you haven't completely forgotten. I also expect you to keep your promise."

"What promise?" he sneered, playing dumb.

She made as if to hit him and felt a sick satisfaction when he actually flinched. "I told you what I'd do," she reminded him. "Do I have to jog your obviously terrible memory?"

"I don't need you jogging anything," he told her hotly. She glared at him a moment before suddenly reaching up and grabbing his arm. He yelled in surprise when she jerked it away. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"You were about to strike me," she said.

"I was not!" he denied the accusation.

"Oh please, Slick," she said. "I've lived with you long enough to know when you are planning on doing something foolish."

"You don't know me at all!"

She yanked on him arm and slammed his back against the wall. "Don't start with that crap again, Sick, we both know that is utter nonsense."

Spades spit into her face which only made her angry. She slammed her fist hard into his stomach making him slump over, wrapping his arms around himself and moaning. She looked down at him with growing malice. "I warned you but you never listen. You're so thick headed it drives me crazy!"

Slick looked up at her, gritting his teeth. If his thick headedness drove her crazy he wondered what the rest of his personality did to her.

Whoa...

That thought had come out of nowhere. He was going to have to learn to keep that sort of thing out of his head.

Snowman knelt down and raised his chin with the handle of the whip. "This time you can't break your promise," she told him. "and if you try I'll make sure you regret it, do you understand?"

He hissed at her in discontent. He sure hoped she knew he didn't intend to keep his promise. Despite her threats he had every desire of escaping. This was merely another setback.

"If you try to get away I'll know," she informed him as if reading his mind as she tapped his chin with the whip. "and I will not be happy, understood?"

Having lived with her for so long he knew the answer to that. "Clearly," he said, smirking.

"Clearly." she responded, her expression mirroring his own.

He jerked his face away, making a low growl as he did so. She sighed and stood, looking down at him as if he were an annoying insect.

Slick glared at her as he sat up, his arms still wrapped around his stomach. "Do you really expect me to keep that promise, woman?"

"Yes, I do actually." and said calmly. "and I know you will."

"How do you know that?"

"Because if you don't I will make good on my threat."

He snorted. "I don't think so," he said derisively. "You wouldn't do that, I know you too well."

"Do you now?"

"I do." he stood though, even so, she still towered over him. "You would not kill me because if you did you wouldn't have a reason to exist anymore."

She chuckled. At least his brain was working. "You're right. If I killed you I wouldn't be able to hate anyone else as much as I hate you." she leaned down, getting into his face. "and if I died you would have to find someone else to loath as much as you do me and I don't think you'd ever want that. You enjoy hating me so much."

Spades backed away, his back pressing against the wall. Darn, nowhere to go. "Yes, I do hate you," he growled, his words dripping with acid. "and what does it matter if I enjoy it? You gave me a good reason to hate you and I doubt I'd ever hate anyone as much as I hate you."

She stepped closer. "Does that include Lord English?" she cocked her head curiously as she inquired this.

He made a face as if mentioning Lord English was offensive. Yeah he hated English but not like he hated Snowman. That man would never be able to compare with the black hatred he held for the woman standing before him. "Of course not!"

His confirmation made her smile. "Good."

Then she kissed him.

Slick's eyes widened in surprise and he reached up to shove her away. What did she think she was doing and why did she think this was a good idea? he wasn't in the mood!

Snowman responded to his action by grabbing his arms and pinning him against the wall. He squirmed, trying to get away from her. Why was she doing this? It was too much. His mind flashed with images from the past, bringing back all the memories of the times she'd kissed him before. He'd always been so helpless in the past, unable to have any control of the situation.

But this time he could fight back.

"Mmmgh!" he started clawing madly at her back, hoping to inflict some sort of injury to get her to move away. Unfortunately that seemed to spur her on and she roughly rammed him into the wall again.

He jerked his face away, gritting his teeth in anger. "Get away from me!"

She smirked, licking his neck which sent an electric shock through him which made him gasp. "Don't be so uptight, Slick."

"I don't want you touching me!"

"We'll just see about that."

Snowman's grip tightened on his arm, her fingernails digging into his flesh as she continued her assault. She ceased licking his neck and bit into it hard enough to crack the hard black shell and draw blood. He growled and continued fighting her but it had become less urgent now. His body was defying him which was exactly what she wanted. Why did it have to do this? Why did he always seem to lose resistance for her when she started this sort of thing?

I don't like this! His mind screamed.

His body seemed to think differently.

"I think you're losing," she told him feeling the fight melting out of him.

"You're terrible." his voice came out in a moan as she nibbled his neck. "and I hate you."

Snowman pulled away smiling at him, blood running down her chin as she grinned in malice. Her white eyes glinted with dark mischief. He wanted nothing more than to punch her right now. Punch her for exploiting his weakness, punch her for making his body want her even when his mind didn't. He hated being helpless, hating holding that black lust for her.

He wanted to defile her body, hard, even as he desired to stab her in the heart.

Of course she knew this and of course she used it to her advantage. "You wouldn't want me to be any different." she replied before kissing him roughly.

She heard his breathing speed up as he dug his fingers into her back, tearing the cloth of her coat as he fought to get at her carapace and rip it open even as he returned the kiss, driven by dark passionate hatred...

00000

Diamonds Droog sat at the bar in his favorite pub, looking at the note supposedly written by his boss, Spades Slick. He was trying to figure out who would want to forge his handwriting and why but nobody came to mind. It seemed cut and dried. Spades Slick had written it.

The Dersire wished Clubs wasn't so good at making him second guess himself. He was going to have to shoot out that kid's TV and take away his computer if he kept this kind of behavior up. Come to think of it that wasn't a bad idea...

"Can I get you anything, honey?"

Droog looked up. The bar keeper, a fat lady with a big bust and the voice of a six pack a day smoker stood over him. She looked to be about a thousand years old. If he'd had any desire for one night stands today that temptation died the moment he set eyes on her. He just hoped this beached whale wouldn't try hitting on him. He didn't have the time to deal with that.

"No, thank you." he said politely, hoping she would leave it at that.

Luckily she didn't seem interested in him anyway and merely shrugged. The woman walked away, leaving him to his thoughts. He sighed with relief as she waddled off to bother another patron.

Droog ran his fingers over the note, frowning to himself as he smoked a cigarette. It made perfect sense to him that the note was written by Slick, yet he still had Club's question nagging at his mind which of course made him linger on it.. He sighed picking the paper and scrutinizing it carefully, taking it in one letter at a time. He frowned, wondering if he was making himself look like an idiot, wishing he'd just let the matter drop and had gone on that date after all. Then he'd be able to forget about the note and get his mind off these nagging questions.

Who would want to forge it... who knew Spades well enough to copy his handwriting so accurately... who would have anything to gain from falsifying a note from him...

The answer finally hit the tall Dersite and he stood up, asking himself how he it had taken it this long for him to figure it out. The word came out in a whisper, as if he was afraid the other patrons would hear him.

"Snowman..."

Droog quickly turned and got out of there. He rushed down the street, heading back to his apartment to get his gun and a few other items he would need. He was tempted to call Clubs Deuce and Hearts Boxcars and tell them what he'd figured out but thought better of it. He intended to prove his theory right before actually involving the others. If he told them now they might start coming up with weird ideas and he didn't need that.

"I will have to do a bit more investigating," he told himself as he rushed down the rain soaked streets. "But finding out how and why she made it and maybe if she also is responsible for him vanishing shouldn't be too hard."

At least that was what he told himself anyway.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Somehow during their playful hatred they'd wound up moving onto the bed. Spades Slick didn't even remember when or how it happened, but it did. That wasn't to say he would have protested. It just gave him another chance to hurt her while enjoying himself in more ways than one, not that she wasn't doing this for the same reason.

Black romance was a funny thing.

That kid with the nubby horns would have been proud. What was his name again? It had something to do with cats. Kitty cat? Kirby cat? Ah, who cares? It wasn't important right now.

After nearly tearing each others clothing to get them off the two enjoyed a time of mad, hateful, violent passion. Of course Snowman topped him, she would never allow him to dominate her in anything. She didn't trust him enough to do that. He didn't trust her either for that matter, but of course the only thing he did to show his anger was cursing her out and hurting her as much as possible, without actually killing her.

No sense being foolish and destroying the universe carelessly. Harming it seemed to be fine though. No stars exploded during their play. It would have been a bit unsettling if he'd caused super novas to happen, mostly because he was sure if he's killed some stars Snowman would have lit up or something.

Weird mental image.

By the time they'd tired each other out the sheets were stained with candy colored red and royal blue blood and both Snowman and Spades were covered in bloody wounds and black and blue bruises. Then they lay in each others arms, breathing heavily.

Spades eventually dozed off, worn out from everything he'd been through the past two days. Snowman a stared down at his sleeping face, smiling to herself. He was so calm when he slept and looked so innocent. He was also a hugger. she chuckled to herself, wondering how he'd feel if he knew.

She sighed, remembering all of the times he'd fallen asleep in her arms. He'd never admit it to anyone even himself but he enjoyed this sort of thing, even on Derse, though even then he'd denied it and did his best to avoid it. But he never told anyone about what they did either. He knew better.

Probably because he knew if he told anyone it would get back to the king and his head would be rolling, she thought. Or that's what he always told me anyway. she smiled to herself. He's not a very good liar.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to fall into a deep, exhausted sleep.

0000

Diamonds Droog had returned to Spade Slick's apartment to have a good look around inside. He took out the replica key he'd had made, and which his boss did not know about, and unlocked the door, stepping inside and scanning the two roomed interior. The apartment had a large room which consisted of the kitchen, livin groom, dining room and bedroom, each separated by half walls Spades Slick had put in himself. Droog passed through the kitchen/dinning room and the living room, seeing nothing out of place, and walked into the bedroom area.

The first thing he noticed was that the window shade was pulled down. Now while his "boss" tended to sleep in late he didn't leave the blind down when he wasn't home. Droog frowned, stepping over to the window and cautiously lifting the shade.

The window looked ready to be put in a casket and buried in the ground. The only remains of it were a few jagged shards hanging stubbornly to the wooden frame.

"Hmm..." he studied the broken window for a moment then turned around, his eyes focusing on the wall opposite of the window.

His white eyes fell on something and he walked over to the wall, scrutinizing an anomaly. Upon closer inspection he discovered a bullet hole. The tall Dersite looked from the hole to the window then back again, his mind sorting out the facts with what evidence had.

So Snowman had shot at Spades Slick. But had she done so to kill him or to merely get his attention for some reason?

Droog used the knife he'd taken off the door to pry the bullet out of the wall. A small, white ball fell into his hand. He frowned and closed his fist around it.

"A cue ball..."

More proof that Snowman really was involved in Spades Slick's disappearance. She was part of the Felt after all which was pool themed. A cue ball bullet made perfect sense and seemed to be their signature.

The biggest question now was had she hit her target or had she missed?

Droog looked around the room, searching the walls, floor, and ceiling for any sigh of blood or gore spatter. He found none, which told him Snowman had either missed entirely or had cleaned up the mess after disposing of the body.

No, Snowman wouldn't kill Spades Slick, she enjoyed tormenting him too much. So why did she shoot at him then? To get his attention? To send a warning... or a reminder?

Only she could answer that, he figured.

Finding her was the issue., With her time and space powers it would make it even more complicated. What if Snowman had taken Spades into the past, or worse the future?

If that was the case finding Slick would be next to impossible...

0000

Spades Slick found himself waking up in Snowman's large green colored bed. He froze, momentarily forgetting how he'd ended up where he was. When the memory came back to him he relaxed and rolled onto his back with a sigh. His white eyes came to focus on Snowman's back as he did so.

The female Dersite was already awake and sitting up in the bed though she hadn't dressed yet. Maybe she'd been waiting for him to get up so they could start over again.

The thought didn't bring him any comfort. Of course he wouldn't deny he enjoyed what they'd done but he still remembered it was mostly her doing using her feminine whiles to seduce him and knock down his guard just like she always did. After she'd been exiled he'd promised himself it would never happened again, not matter how darn sexy she was.

That promise had just been broken and he wasn't exactly sure he regretted it. Neither of them had done it out of love, their relationship was as black as midnight. It seemed to be mostly a way to punish each other for the crap they'd had to deal with the past two days. Hard, passionate punishment...

He had enough anger left inside him to do it again.

Heck, why not? Maybe he'd get her so horny and sexed up she'd completely drop her guard and he'd be able to take advantage of it and escape.

Not a bad idea... It couldn't hurt. Well it could but in a good way. He smiled to himself at the thought of pounding her again.

Slick sat up slowly, wincing a little from the pain of new scratches and bruises, and scooted over to her. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Hey..."

The tall female turned her head slightly. "Good morning." she said, grinning a grin that showed off her sharp, white teeth. "Sleep well, Slick?"

He smirked at her. "I dreamed I stabbed you in the heart."

She turned more. "Keep dreaming, Slick."

"I fully intend to." he told her. "Because it was extremely satisfying."

"Was it now..."

Uh oh. Her change of tone hinted he might have just said the wrong thing to the wrong person.

Clarification came when the next instant he found himself laying flat on his back with a knife, his knife, resting at his throat. He stared up at Snowman, startled.

"What-"

"Just a warning, Slick," she said, pressing the knife against his throat. "If you try that in real life it won't end so well." her voice grew quieter. "but I don't think I have anything to worry about, now do I?" she touched his cheek.

He tried not to flinch as he said. 'Of course not." his voice trembled but not from fear, but anger.

"Good." and then the knife was gone as she sat back and put it away, smirking. "Now what were you saying before?"

He sat up, rubbing his neck. Finding no marks he dropped his hand. "I wasn't saying anything," he told her, suddenly in no mood to continue the dream conversation. It had been a dumb idea to bring it up to begin with. "But obviously I didn't expect you to pull a knife, my knife, on me."

Snowman smirked. "Force of habit." she leaned over the nightstand and picked up a cigarette. "I'm sure if it were the other way around you'd have the same sentiment."

Of course he would have but he wasn't going to admit it to her. Instead he turned away and started to slip off the bed. "Well it wasn't."

"Don't."

Slick looked at her, frowning. She patted the pillow beside her. "Stay."

The mob boss hesitated for a moment then moved toward her, deciding it was the safer alternative. If he did what she wanted it would make escaping the mansion easier when the time was right.

When he was next to her she smiled. "Very good."

He looked at her, waiting for her to explain herself.

She looked back at him and grabbed his chin, pulling his face toward hers and kissing him roughly. He let her, not really in the mood to fight her, though he was no longer in the mood to kiss her. At least she wasn't being sappy about it. Even when she kissed she intended to hurt him.

When she pulled away her wiped his mouth as if disgusted which made her raise a brow at him. "What's the matter, Slick? My kisses didn't bother you last night."

"Well that was different," he retorted, running his arm over his mouth again.

"How so?"

He frowned. "It just was."

The female ,smirked and crossed her one leg over the other in such a way he had to advert his eyes to avoid staring. "If you say so." she leaned back, resting her arm over her breasts. Now he couldn't help staring which only served to amuse her further. "Proud of those bruises, Slick?"

He shook himself out of it. "Huh?"

She touched her left breast which was black and blue from their violent intercourse. "You always have enjoyed hurting me or were just looking at something besides that?" she chuckled. "I didn't know you were such a pervert."

"Shut up!" he snapped, feeling his cheeks growing hot. "If you really think I-"

She cut him off by putting a finger over his lips. "SShhh..." she said soothingly. "I wasn't trying to imply anything."

Slick pulled away from her, hissing through his teeth.

"Let's not start that again," she said, taking another drag from her cigarette. "I'm really in no mood to argue with you further."

He looked at her and smirked. "Who said I wanted to argue?" he asked.

"You always enjoy fighting with me physically or verbally." she licked her lips as she stared down at him. "the physical part is fun the verbal isn't as fun unless it's pillow talk."

He folded his arms and found something else to look at, a tear in the bed spread. He wondered if that had happened while they'd been "playing".

When she placed a hand on his shoulder he jumped and looked up at her. She smiled at him in an odd way that made him ask. "What?"

"Play for me, Slick."

Her request derailed him. "Huh?"

The room vanished in a split second and Spades Slick found himself in another part of the mansion. He discovered he was now fully clothed and a piano stood before him. Snowman sat on the piano, wearing her three in the morning dress. She took another drag on of her cigarette and looked at him expectantly.

Now he understood. She wanted him to play the piano for her.

Slick wasn't sure he wanted grant her that request. Did she think because he slept with her that he was suddenly was going to do everything she wanted like a slave? He frowned at her and folded his arms, giving her a stubborn look as he shook his head in defiance.

Snowman made a face. "Now come on," she pressed him. "it wouldn't hurt you to play me a tune."

"I don't feel like it."

"You never feel like dong anything," she complained. "or maybe it's just me. I distinctly remember you playing the piano the night I took you here."

"I wasn't being held against my will at the time!" he snapped. "I don't owe you anything, witch."

"I'm afraid you do." she lay on her stomach on the piano's smooth cover and stared down at him with a superior look on her face. "You see; I saved you from Cans which means I kept you safe from the entire Felt. If I hadn't struck that deal with him he'd still have you and he and the rest of the Felt would be having fun with you right now, and by fun I don't mean the kisemis kind." she took a drag from her cigarette. "Also Doc Scratch would know about you by now and I don't think he'd be all that polite either, especially when he hands you over to Lord English."

He started to argue but shut his mouth knowing full well she was right and he hated it. Darn this woman.

"So Slick,"she said after a moment. "What are you going to do?"

He clenched his teeth together and glared a her a moment, his fists curled into tight balls before he finally sighed with defeat and sat down at the piano to play...

_A/N_

_Is anyone even reading this blasted thing?  
><em>


	9. Chapter 9

9

Droog had gone to his own apartment to get his set of cards and other important items, like his handgun, before he headed out to to begin his search for Spades Slick and Snowman. After hours of thinking he'd finally come to a conclusion on where they might be. The Felt mansion, but if he went there he would have to be sure of himself. Going to the lime colored gang's mansion on a guess would be one of the most foolish things he could do. So he was going to do a little more investigating before he headed to the building to spring his boss from the clutches of his kismesis.

But where to start?

He'd already searched the man's apartment and only came up with a bullet and a broken window, no other clues. The apartment had been clean was a whistled, something Droog always considered odd about Spades. He was an angry and violent man yet he kept his apartment spick and span. At least it helped him with his search and he hadn't been in the room long. Of course now he had no idea where to go from there.

He cursed. Perfect, now the only way he'd be able to figure out anything was by asking around. Talking to neighbors or people on the street. He wasn't much for socializing unless it was with beautiful women but he knew he'd have to try. After all; Slick was his "best friend" though he sometimes wondered why he was.

With any luck one of the witnesses would be a beautiful female he could hook up with later.

He sighed as he lit a cigarette as he stepped out of his apartment. "I might as well get to it."

The tall mobster headed back toward Slick's building.

0000000

Slick's first mistake was thinking he could bang out a melody on the piano with his fists. That didn't last long though because ten seconds later Snowman stabbed his hand with her cigarette holder out of annoyance. He yelled in pain and rubbed his hand, cursing her out.

"You told me to play!" he snapped at her. "I was only doing what you wanted me to do!"

"Not like that," she told him.

He glared at her.

"Play right," she told him. "Or do I have to send you into Die's bedroom? Itchy told me he's got some new Voodoo spells he wants to try out."

Slick gritted his teeth and began to play again, forcing himself to be more gentle this time if only to keep her from whining more.

The room filled with the sound of a sorrowful melody.

Snowman leaned back, listening to the music as he played, tapping her foot gently.

Slick frowned and turned his focus away from her now. He turned his white eyes on the piano keys, deciding they were more fascinating than a carapace in a black dress covered in green sequins. A black form, fitting dress...

He closed his eyes as he played, trying to get his mind off her. This was not the time to think about how hot her body was, not that he'd ever tell her she was beautiful and deadly sexy.

Eventually he became so focused on playing he forgot where he was and why he was even playing in the first place, this happened often when he put his mind to music. Snowman didn't seem to mind since she knew when he played he mostly did to to relax himself from his blind black rages. Plus he was good.

Very good.

The woman just wished his music wasn't so depressing.

When he finally ended the song and opened his eyes he seemed surprised at his location for a second before he remembered how and why he was there. That just brought back his annoyance, especially since Snowman was looking down at him.

She smiled. "You play very well, Slick," she state. "You seem to have improved since you were the archagent at the castle on Derse."

He frowned at her. The last thing he wanted was a compliment from her, not that it wasn't welcome. She didn't often say anything nice about him and mean it though this time he could tell she was being sincere.

"Play it again, Slick."

Spades just sat there, his hands sitting inactive on the ivory keys. He was feeling rebellious again.

The female grew impatient. "Let's not get into another argument, Slick," she said tightly. "we both know you don't even have a choice."

"It doesn't mean I can't give you heck about it," he retorted.

She shifted, now laying across the piano on her stomach as she got into his face. "It would save you a lot of trouble and agony if you just did what I said," she told him, poking him in the face with the end of the cigarette holder.

He pushed the holder away, hissing in annoyance. "So would you not nagging me about everything all the time."

"Just play."

"If I don't?"

She stabbed his hand once more with the cigarette holder. He cried out and yanked his hand away cursing her out.

"Let's just say you won't like what I'll do," she said coldly. "I hope you haven't forgotten what happened after I punished you for destroying the piano back on Derse. Yu had the same attitude then as well."

How could he forget?

0000

The Black Queen sat in Jack Noir's office, watching him do his work with suspicious eyes. Since she'd punished him for destroying the piano he hadn't spoken much and refused to look at her when she came by his workroom to make sure he was doing his job. This had raised her suspicions and she made it her mission to keep an eye on him.

Who knew what he could be plotting behind her back?

Jack looked up at her from his work, frowning with annoyance. He wasn't happy that she was there but she didn't care. His comfort was not her problem. Not that he would have been comfortable with her not being there since she'd broken his arm and it was in a cast. He'd been forced to flip his sprite around to do the dreaded paperwork that she refused to give him time off of to heal properly.

"Don't you have something else you could be doing, your Majesty?" he growled at her. "Like I don't know, acting like a responsible monarch?"

"No, I don't actually." she said, resting her elbow on her knee and placing her chin on the palm of her hand. She was sitting in a chair across the room from his desk. "if I have to take care of anything they know where I am."

He looked back down at his work, grumbling to himself. It sounded to her like he was muttering death threats.

"Excuse me?" she demanded.

He looked up. "What now?"

"What did you just say about me?" she snapped, showing her sharp, white, teeth.

Jack didn't respond which only seemed to confirm her suspicions. He was saying things about her he shouldn't. She was used to him insulting her in front of her face but when he was quiet about it it made her wonder about the con text of the words. She was instantly on her feet and across the room, reaching out and gripping his broken arm, making him cry out in pain.

"I want to know what you said about me," she hissed, twisting his arm painfully. "and I want to know now!"

He glared at her, gritting his teeth in pain. "Let go of my arm, you vile wench," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Tell me what you said and I just might," she growled.

"I didn't say anything about you!"

"You're lying!"

"Fine, I'm lying! Happy!?"

"I will be when you tell me what you said, Noir."

'"Fine!" and then he told her which only served to make her even more angry because it was full of profanity laced obscenities about her and her body.

"How dare you talk about me like that!" she raged slapping him hard against his face. "I'm your queen!"

His expression told her he didn't care who or what she was. To him she was merely a heartless, merciless tyrant as well as the kingdom's biggest tramp.

How she hated that look. Many times she'd tried to remove it from his face only to have all her attempts ruined by making it become more solid. That wasn't to say she would give up; she knew she'd eventually break it or kill him in the process.

"Don't make things harder on yourself," she told him. "Just apologize and I'll give you a lighter punishment."

The look on his face told her he wasn't sorry and wouldn't say he was sorry either. "You broke my arm," he told her. "What else do you plan on breaking, huh?"

"Don't give me ideas," she responded.

"Why not?" he snapped. "I know you want to break more things. Go ahead! I dare you to, you filthy little skank!"

She shoved him back into his chair with a muted scream. He hit it hard and the entire chair fell backward with a thunk. He cried out when the chair hit the floor and he wound up banging his head on the purple tiles..

The queen walked around the chair and stood over him angry. "You will learn to speak to me with respect," she told him coldly, stamping her foot down hard on his broken arm. "and I won't let your incompetent lack of decorum slide this time."

"Then do it!" he spat, his white eyes narrowing in a dare. "Do it! Or are you afraid?"

He never should have said that. The queen knelt down and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him bodily off the floor as if he weighted nothing. "I fear nothing and no one," she told him. "and after today you'll come to realize this."

The she harshly drug him out of the room.

On the way there Jack did what he could to prevent her from taking him to her bedroom. She could tell he knew he'd gone too far and was regretting baiting her like he had. But it was too late. She was committed.

Jack continued to fight against her hold though it was hard with only one good arm. He would have yelled for help but who would come? If the queen was dragging him through the palace it meant he was in trouble and none of the servants would dare say anything about it. When they reached her bedroom she threw him bodily inside and slammed the door.

Jack scrambled to his feet, backing away from her. She walked toward him, her fists clenched in rage. He'd overstepped his bounds this time and she was going to make sure he never did it again.

If anyone was alerted by the screaming that followed no one acted like it.

000

"Too bad for you it didn't end up the way you thought it would," he informed her once the memory faded from his mind.

"Does it matter?" she asked him. "You did learn a lesson from that after all and I know you don't want a repeat of it. Now play, Slick."

_A/N_

_Bleh I'm wasting my time here. if you want me to go on leave a review okay?  
><em>


	10. Chapter 10

10

"I didn't see anything!" the old man who lived in the apartment next door to from Spades Slick's snapped at Diamond's Droog. "and if I did I wouldn't tell you anyway!"

When the man tried to shut the door he grabbed it, preventing him from doing so. "Someone fired a gun into your neighbor's apartment and you didn't hear anything?" he demanded. "Pardon me if I don't believe you."

"It's none of my business!"

Droog sighed, feeling a headache coming on. His investigation wasn't going as well as he'd hoped and it was beginning to grate on his nerves. Couldn't any of these people cooperate? Was it too much to ask?

Looks like it. He had no choice but to do things the hard war.

Droog reached out and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. He pulled him close and stared him down with cold, white eyes. "I'm afraid it is."

"Hey!" the man exclaimed, struggling against his grip. "Let go! You have no right to-"

Droog shoved him back into his apartment then barged in himself, standing over the man and pulling a gun out on him.

"He!" he exclaimed. "What are you do-"

"I am usually a patient man," he cut him off. "But I am in a bit of a hurry here so let's not beat around the bush, shall we?"

The man stared down the barrel of the gun with huge eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"What I said, did you hear or see anything the other night?" he repeated himself. "Like say a gun going off or a scuffle in the hall? It's very important that you tell me all you know, otherwise I might get bored and shoot you." he took out a cigarette. "And that wouldn't be fun for either of us."

"There w-was a g-gunshot!" the man exclaimed, quaking in fear now that his life was on the line.

"Where did it come from?"

"Th-the street," the man responded.

"Did you see who fired it?"

"N-No it was t-too d-dark!"

The tall Dersite clicked off the safety. "I think you're lying."

"I'm not!" he exclaimed.

"Your window is on the same side of the building as Slick's is," he told him. "You can't say you didn't see anything unless you're blind or just didn't look outside." he leaned forward, the gun resting on the man's forehead. "and I really don't think you would be either."

"I didn't see anything! It was too dark!"

"You can do better than that or do I need to jog your memory?"

"Nonononnono!" he exclaimed. "I remember now! There was someone standing outside!"

Now they were getting somewhere. "Male or female?"

"Female!"

"What did she look like?"

"She was black and wore this long trench coat that glowed in the dark."

"Color?"

"Green."

Ah now that said a lot. It was definitely Snowman. She was the only person he knew of who wore that kind of coat. "Anything else you'd like to tell me? Like what happened next?"

"I don't know! I didn't see anything after that. She just walked away."

"Hmm..." he rested the gun hard against his forehead. "You better not be lying."

"I'm not, I swear!"

Droog put the gun away. "Thank you, if I feel the need to ask you more questions or if you remember anything else I'll be back." he stared him down with his cold white eyes. "and you better tell me for your own good."

"I will! You have my word!"

"Good."

He left.

0000

Slick had gone back to playing the piano. It was either that or have Snowman nag him some more and he really wasn't in the mood to listen to anymore of her whining. The song he played now was titled Black and it fit his mood rather well. Black as the void created from a collapsed star in the middle of space.

A black hole. The one thing even light could not escape.

Snowman didn't seem bothered by the song's theme or the pace he played it. She only wanted to listen to him make music and take a break from violence, anger, and all the conflicting emotions that came with it all. Why couldn't she be allowed to enjoy his presence without slipping into their black romance for a moment? Would it hurt to let her emotions flush red for a few seconds?

Probably. Slick was not the type to hold red feelings for anyone, the closet he came was the moirail ship with Diamonds Droog but that wasn't even romantic, it was just a platonic friendship. When it came to real romance, if that's what you wanted to call it, he had was his relationship with her and that was made up of violence and hurtful words. Not to mention pain.

She sighed a bit sadly. Sometimes she missed her husband. At least he'd loved her, even if she didn't always appreciate it. Slick didn't, he hated her and she hated him, though sometimes she didn't feel like she did. Sometimes...

Sometimes she felt as if she loved him.

Slick noticed the look at her face and stopped playing, frowning. "What's the matter now?" he demanded. Wasn't she satisfied that he was playing? Wasn't that what she wanted? "I thought you wanted me to play for you."

She came out of her thoughts. "What? Nothing. I do."

"Then stop making that stupid face!"

"I wasn't make a stupid face!" she shot back.

"Oh right," he nodded as if he really believed her claim, "You can't make them, since your face always looks like that."

She glared at him now. "I would advice you shut your mouth, unless you want me to shove my foot into it."

"I'd like to see you try." he grinned, ready to call her bluff.

Oh it was on. She was up from the piano before he even knew what was happening. Next thing he knew he was sent head over heels across the room and into the wall.

"Ugh..." he groaned, sitting up and rubbing his sore jaw. "What hit me?"

"My foot." Snowman responded from over by the piano.

Whoa. She sure could hit hard. He wasn't even aware she could do that! Even on Derse she'd never been able to kick him across the room, or maybe she'd just chosen not to. Either way she wasn't going to get away with it.

He was instantly on his feet. "You can't do that to me!" he shouted, rushing at her. If she was going to start getting violent he wasn't going to take it laying down.

Another blow knocked him clear across the room again. Fired on by anger, he didn't even seem to feel it and he hopped back to his feet and rushed her again. She grabbed his arm when he swung and her and yanked him off his feet.

Suddenly he was on his back on the lid of the piano with the business end of the woman's cigarette holder, now a lance, pointed at his neck. "Say it." she snapped.

Spades bared his teeth, refusing to obey the order.

She slammed his head against the piano violently. "Say it!"

His head roared with pain but he still didn't want to say it. Saying it would concede defeat and he wasn't ready to give up yet. He squirmed frantically against her until she pricked his neck with the edge of her lance, drawing blood.

He froze, realizing she meant business.

"Say it." she pressed.

Finally he grunted it out. "Uncle."

"Good." she let go and moved back.

Slick sat up on the piano and grabbed his neck, cursing a blue streak as he felt hot, red blood ooze through his fingers. Shoot! she really had cut further than he thought.

She looked at him, eying the blood coming from the wound. He glared up at her, wondering what was on her mind? Was she going to decide to slit his throat now? Why not? she's already drawn blood. Heck, maybe he's bleed to death before her eyes and she'd regret even pulling this stupid stunt.

"Problem, Slick?"

"You know bloody well I do!" he snapped. "and I'm looking at her!"

She slapped him for such a comment. "Now let's not get into another argument, especially since you will probably bleed to death before we finish it." she touched the hand covering the cut in his neck and he flinched. "Why don't we go back to my room and I'll put something on that?"

He was about to tell her to shove it but realized it would be better not to deny her offer, partly because he did still intent to make her drop her guard and also because he didn't want to keep bleeding like an unfinished hamburger.

He took a deep breath to calm himself then nodded. "Fine,"

Snowman took his hand and fazed them both back into her bedroom. He was now sitting on her bed and she was standing before him. They were both stll clothed, much to his relief. "Don't move." she ordered before she turned away and went over to her chest of drawers.

She opened a drawer and took out a handkerchief. Turning back to him she tied it around his neck, tight enough to stop the bleeding but not cut off his breathing. She was surprisingly gentle as she did this. "There, better?"

Yes, but he didn't want to tell her that.

"I'm going to assume your silence means you are," she said, turning away and picking up her lighter. "It wouldn't kill you to be grateful once in awhile."

Slick didn't respond. She shouldn't have expected him to either. Getting him to say thank you was like pulling teeth. Extremely time consuming and painful.

"Just be glad I even bothered," she told him. "I could have let you bleed to death."

"It wasn't that bad," he grumbled.

"Then why did you act like it was?"

"Do I even have to answer that question?"

"No," she replied. "But I'd appreciate it if you did, just to humor your old queen."

Slick looked away, placing his hand on the piece of cloth covering the wound. He really didn't want to play her game and decided the best way to avoid it was by ignoring her.

"Not gonna tell me then?" she asked after a decent amount of time had gone by. "Okay then, we'll do it your way."

"I don't want to play any way," he growled at her.

"Aww but it will be fun," she pretended to pout.

"No, now stop acting like a child," he snapped, irritated. "You're a grown woman for heavens sake, act like it!"

She placed her hand on his chin and made him look up at her. "Since when did you care how I conduct myself?" she asked.

He looked back at her. "Since forever."

That statement shocked her into silence.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"You're lying." she said, looking down at him with disdain.

"Now why in the world would I be lying about that?" he challenged her.

"Because you only care about yourself," she was quick to point out.

He laughed. Well that was right but she wasn't one hundred percent correct. Of course why he cared about how she conducted herself was a somewhat selfish reason since it did come all the way back to him and his own reputation. On Derse her actions would have reflected on how he did his job and those below him would have told him about it because they knew he wouldn't die if he told her.

"That's not an answer, doll," he said in a haughty tone.

Snowman sighed seemingly giving up on the argument. "Then I don't know why you would be lying about that," she said. "But with you it could be anything."

"Yet you can't think of an answer," he pointed out to her.

"Why should I have to?"

"Because I just made a huge confession that hurt my pride to even utter," he snapped. "The very least you could do is say something about it aside from accusing me of lying. I don't have a reason to lie about something like that. If I wanted to lie I could have said I don't give a rat's butt about how you conduct yourself but no, I said I did so kindly respond to my statement with some form of decorum."

She actually laughed at him, more than a little amused by his statement. "I don't owe you a thing, Slick," she reminded him with a hint of resentfulness. "You've done nothing for me in my life."

"I was involved in making you who you are today," he pointed out.

"And I should be grateful?" she snapped. "Don't flatter yourself. If you actually think I'm better off now you're deluding yourself."

He smirked. "So you're not doing better? Awww, that's a crying shame."

She slapped him across the face. "Shut up!" she commanded."You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh yeah?" he shot back, holding his reddening cheek. "I think I know more than you do about everything!"

What a dumb statement.

Obviously Snowman thought so too because she responded to it with loud, mocking laughter.

Spades was surprised by her reaction and fell silent. What was that all about and what exactly was it supposed to mean anyway? He couldn't even begin to guess, not that he would have bothered trying to figure it out anyway. Her life wasn't important to him.

But she seemed intent on telling him in any case. "If you think it's easy to be the universe you have another thing coming," she told him. "It's not fun and games, it's a huge responsibility."

"It doesn't seem to have aged you any." he said in a snide tone.

Offended, she slapped him again.

"Cut that out!"

"Then you stop being such a pain," she retorted.

"Well you're talking about stupid things," he told her impatiently, looking as if he was going to shoot to his feet and knock some sense into her. "I don't care how you feel about your role in being the universe. Do you think if you tell me all the misery it puts you through I'm going to pull you into my arms and tell you it'll be all right or something? Well it won't. It's not going to get better. You're stuck with it until you die or someone is foolish enough to kill you."

"Yeah stuck with it and all the garbage that comes with it."

He rose a brow. "I thought you liked being immortal."

Snowman sighed and looked away. "I do but..."

Slick frowned. What now? What in the world was she thinking about now? He sure hoped she didn't start bawling about her awful godlike fate. He really didn't want to hear about it especially after being beaten up.

"But what?" he snapped. "Don't you like it because it's hard to be in two places at once? I thought you'd enjoy having all that power since it makes being a witch much easier."

Snowman looked at him her white eyes narrowing coldly. Slick suddenly realized he'd gone too far this time.

The female crossed the room in a second, grabbing him by the throat as she threw him down onto the mattress. He gagged, grabbing her hand and trying to pry it off as he fought against her hold. The female didn't even seem to notice and she held onto him, straddling him now. She reached up with her other hand and grabbed her whip off the nightstand, jamming it hard into his mouth.

Spades made a gargling sound switching his grip from her hand to the whip. he tried to pull it out but the harder he yanked the further she shoved it in. His jaw began to ache and he felt she was going to split his head in half.

"Give up," she sneered as he tried to break free. 'you're not going to get away." she let go of his neck, grabbing the front of his shirt. "I'm going to punish you and this time you're not going to enjoy any of it." she yanked hard and tore the cloth on his shirt as she leaned all her weight on the handle.

0000

Droog left the apartment buildings after he'd done a bit more investigating. The old man he'd interrogated hadn't been the only one who'd seen snowman he'd found out. a mother had also heard the sound while putting her child to bed. She'd spotted snowman when she'd looked out the window.

The mother had also managed to give him useful information. After snowman had fired the shot into spades slick's apartment window she'd stood there for a few minutes before walking down the street. The woman told him she was sure the black female had gone toward the worst part of the city, where all the buildings were falling down and the non mob related gangs tried to control the area.

He headed down the street, his destination: the bad part of the city. If that was where she'd gone Slick would have followed her.

He always did.

Droog sighed. He'd once asked Spades why he bothered. The other dersite had given him such a confusing explanation he never bothered to question him about it again. Even now he didn't understand it and simply figured slick was a glutton for punishment.

Of course. That was how he and snowman did their black romance.

Droog sighed. He would never understand that type of relationship even getting an explanation from the annoying and shouty nubbed horned troll back on Derse hadn't helped even though the kid had gone into great detail about how the whole thing worked. Droof preferred relationships of the red kind though he had yet to find the perfect woman to share his life with.

Like that pretty little dumber at the local bar...

The dersite shook his head. What was he doing? Now was not the time to be thinking about pretty prospitian woman, he had more important things to be focusing on.

A half hour later he arrived at the run down part of the city. Okay, now what?

There were so many buildings they could have gone into. he was going to have to look in all of them. This was going to take awhile

A long while.

Droog lit a cigarette and turned his attention to what looked like the crumbling ruin of an office building. It looked like as good a place as any to begin his search.

Committed, he walked toward the building and pushed the door open when he reached it. It opened with a long low creak. A streetlight cast his shadow in the open doorway.

Dramatic, he thought ironically. Like a cliche from an old gangster movie. T\he thought almost made him laugh at the irony of it but humor was subjective so he merely smirked with amusement at his own thoughts as he stepped inside and walked down the dark hallway.

It would be even more ironic if some black trench coat wearing gangster lit a cigarette in the darkness and said some over used line from a movie all the while pointing a gun at his face.

Heck, why not? It would prove to be the most exciting thing that happened to him so far on this investigation.

Hopefully something would happen soon to make him more interested in it. Though he knew Slick was in trouble being with Snowman due to her affiliation with The Felt, he also knew snowman would not put slick into more danger than he could handle. She was after all his kisemis and blackroms didn't go as far as death in most cases. It was usually mutual hate and dark play and passion. Hurting was fine but murder was different.

Or at least that was what that nubby headed troll said anyway.

Droog was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of metal scraping the floor. He froze, turning his head toward the sound, listening.

There was movement in the darkness informing him that he wasn't alone.

Moving fast he dashed toward the sound. His body rammed into something tall, large, and very fat. The fat thing let out a growl and grabbed for him, totally destroying his intended plan. He jammed the hot end of the cigarette into whoever it was' face, greeted by a yowl of agony.

Droog twisted, grabbing the fatty around the neck and getting him into a tight headlock. It wasn't easy but he managed it anyway since his size made up for the other things he lacked.

"Who are you and why did you attack me?" he demanded.

The fatty didn't respond to his question. Instead it growled and tried to break his hold which only made the tall mobster tighten his hold. "Answer me!"

"Let go of me, dersite dog!" the man snapped angrily.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing here," Droog replied rather calmly. "and it better be interesting or I might just decide you're too boring it leave alive."

The fat male squirmed in his grasp, cursing a blue streak Droog, who was used to calming this sort of behavior with Spades Slick held onto the man until he wore himself out. It didn't take long, within moment he'd exhausted himself and resigned himself to his fate.

"what do you want to know?"

"Every thing you do."


	12. Chapter 12

12

Spades Slick couldn't remember when the blow had come that knocked him out, neither could he remember even going unconscious. When his eyes shot open and he was greeted by the worst pain possible he was to say the least surprised and a little confused. Why was he in so much pain and where was it coming from?

Well that one was easy. Everywhere! Before he could stop himself he let out a loud moan of agony.

"Oh, you're finally awake." Snowman's voice spoke up. "I was afraid I'd gone too far this time and knocked you so hard you became a vegetable."

Her voice made all thoughts of pain leave his mind as the memories came crashing back into his head. Instantly he sat up and glared hatefully at the female who stared him down with a cold, white glare.

"You vile witch!" he snapped at her. "How dare you-"

The tall female slapped him hard across the face with the back of her hand, knocking him onto his back.

Growling infuriated at the slap, he pushed himself up and grabbed her arm, yanking her backward onto the bed with excessive force. "Witch! You're not getting away with beating me like that! Who do you think you are?"

This time Snowman slammed her palm hard against his chin, making his teeth grind painfully together. He made a gurgling sound and fell back again, nearly falling off the bed this time. She moved fast, getting up quickly and yanking him back up and beside him, grasping his wrists and pulling him close to her face.

"Shall we dance to the same tune again, Slick?" she hissed as he squirmed in her vise like grip. "Or would you rather I don't completely lose my temper and beat your pathetic self upside down and sideways?"

He yanked back, snarling. "Get your filthy hands off me."

"Slick..." her voice suddenly grew soft, dangerously soft. "I am not in the mood as well as too tired to kick your sorry rear a second time so kindly just do what I ask and let it alone."

"After what you just did to me?!" he shouted, his voice rising. "do you think I'm stupid?"

"No, I think you want to live a bit longer, though." she pointed out. "and lower your voice, or do you want the rest of the Felt to hear you?"

Slick fell silent. She was right about that. He did want to live, but he didn't want her beating him up again nor did he want the others in the mansion to discover him there. Not unless he was allowed to fight back this time. He hated being powerless against her.

She took his silence as confirmation to her words. "all right then." and she let go of his wrists and shoved him over with a disgusted look.

"You're disgusting." he stated, scooting away from her and rubbing his sore wrists.

Snowman stared him down. "Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." she picked up her whip from the nightstand and wrapped it around her wrist. "Sometimes I wonder if your brain processes anything aside from wanting to kill people or causing some type of violence. I mean seriously."

"It's your fault." he grumbled.

"Excuse me?" she frowned. "How is it my fault you're a homicidal maniac?"

"Because you were always on may case about everything, and abusing me, and being a real witch," he replied, pointing an accusing finger into her face. "You never gave me a break, you always shoved all your paper work on me; I wasn't allowed to have a day off or be by myself, you blasted tramp!"

"Don't give me that bull, Slick," she said hotly, her own temper beginning to rise to a boil. "You know you didn't care anyway."

"Didn't care?" he exploded, sitting up. "I did too care! Just because you couldn't keep your legs shut doesn't mean I wanted to take a break from it to-"

SLAP!

The blow came from his left and knocked him back onto the mattress. "Shut your lying mouth!" she cut into his tirade. "You hated doing paperwork anyway," she folded her arms. "I always knew you hated your job anyway, you didn't have to tell me that, even though you complained about it enough. Too bad, sometimes we have to do things we don't like."

"Well when I said I wanted a break I didn't mean taking time off to be your little plaything!"

"Like I care what you want," she stated. Her voice suddenly got a bored tone as if the conversation was becoming tedious. "and you can't say it made you miserable seeing as you had a lot of fun beating me up during those times, as you did just before." she leaned over her nightstand to get her cigarettes. "I noticed that while we were busy. You got a little out of hand last night which I'm assuming is from so much pent up frustrations." she lit the cigarette and took a drag. "after all it's been a long time since you were given permission to harm me."

He looked away, not wanting to get into this conversation. The Dersite was beginning to regret ever letting himself fall for her sneaky tricks again. Now he was starting to feel as if he's played right into her hands again, and rightly so. She'd come at him like a shark and he'd let her have her feeding frenzy while she pretending he'd won this time.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Slick! he thought, mentally beating himself up. You are such a sucker for her.

If only he wasn't so easily manipulated by her, it would make things a whole lot easier.

You could still use this to your advantage, you know.

Yeah, like how?

You're a smart, man, you'll think of something.

But nothing was coming to mind and the knowing smile on the woman's face wasn't making it any better.

0000

The short, fat man refused to start his story until Droog handed him a cigarette. Once the man was happily smoking the poison stick, he began his story. "So, I was outside kind of making my way through the city when I spotted them," he began, after taking a long drag. "A tall, sexy black female in a trench coat followed by a small fellow with a nasty look on his face."

That sounded like Snowman and Spades Slick, all right, but he was going to be cautious about this. The man could be lying about it, though for the life of him he had no idea why he would. "What else did you see besides that?" he questioned, cautiously. "Did you happen to see where they went after that?"

The man thought a moment, trying to jog his memory. "Umm.. let's see. I saw them both sneak into a building, one of the more run down ones," he said slowly.

"Which one?"

"Hmm..." he rubbed his chin. "I can't quite remember."

Which meant he wanted something more from Droog to jog his memory. Of course, that's how it always went with these homeless types. The tall mobster was not in the mood for this but if it helped him find out what happened, he didn't have a choice.

He took out a ten dollar bill ad handed it to him.

"Now I remember," the man continued, swiping it. "It was one that used to be an office. It's only got one floor, what's left of it anyway." he smirked. "It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Exactly," Droog said, grabbing the man and yanking him to his feet. "and you're going to take me there."

0000

Slick eyed Snowman as she got up off the bed and changed her clothing. Much as he loathed himself for it, he was unable to keep himself from watching her change, taking in ever curve of her body. What made it worse was she knew he was watching her and found it amusing.

Just to drive him crazy, she changed slowly, using this as another way to teach him a lesson for being so dishonorable toward her. He deserved it after all, and she enjoyed making him uncomfortable anyway so this was a bonus.

"Will you stop being so sluggish and get your clothes on!?" he snapped at her after a moment.

Snowman looked at him, with a raised brow. "Why? You got a problem with how fast I get dressed?" she reached down to pick up his discarded suit. "Speaking of which..." she threw it in his face. "Maybe you should take your own advice and make yourself decent instead of sitting on my bed in your birthday suit."

Slick blushed and quickly pulled on his own clothing, fully aware she was watching him the entire time. "Stop staring at me!" he snapped, pulling his shirt over his head.

She turned away and put on her coat, chuckling to herself. Yup, he was still easily riled about everything. Her beat down on him hadn't changed anything, and she couldn't say she was disappointed. Though she felt he'd learned something out of it anyway.

When they were both decent Slick folded his arms, wincing when his hands touched the bruises on his arms and glared at her. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What are we going to do now?" he demanded. "Obviously you plan on doing something with me so let's get it over with."

She laughed, grabbing her hat and straightening it on her head. "Oh Slick, you're so silly," she said, looking into the mirror. "I don't have any plans for the two of us."

She didn't? What was the point of forcing him to get dressed then? "Then why-"

the woman turned back to him, smirking. "Would you have rather sat around all day in my room, naked?"

No, he would not. He would rather not even be in her room at all and felt the desire to say so, but held himself back because she wouldn't care about that anyway. She only cared about herself and her inflated ego.

"I didn't think so," she said when he made no remarks. She headed for the door, glancing back at him. "I'll be gone for a few hours. I hope you will be a good boy and behave while I'm gone, unless of course you want to go another round with Cans."

Slick gave her the finger which made he laugh as she walked out, locking the door behind her.

Now he was alone. Good. Now he could try to get out of this joint.

Getting up off the bed he went over to the door and grabbed the knob, but was bitterly disappointed when it didn't turn. Cursing he slammed his fist against it a few times, as if that would help, but only accomplished hurting his own hand.

Biting his lip he turned from the door and started to ransack her room, looking for a key or anything he could use to open the door and sneak out. Sadly for him his search turned up nothing, not even the knife he;d used before. Snowman had apparently taken everything he could use to hurt himself or make an escape with. This room was escape proof, there weren't even any windows!

"Darn it!" he snapped, throwing her jewelry box to the floor. "Blasted woman!"

Jewelry! he lunged at the mess, rooting through the accessories, searching for earrings in the pile. But he found none and it was stupid of him to think he would. Carapaces didn't have normal ears! Why in the world had he thought she would have any?!

Cursing he sat up and tossed the jewelry against the wall in a fit of anger. He hoped he broke some of it too, maybe that would teach her a lesson. what did she need all that garbage for anyway? That wasn't important and he wondered why he was even wondering about it. It was one of the dumbest things to focus any brain power on. He cursed again, disgusting at his own thoughts. "Idiot!"

So now he would have to get his mind off of it. He looked around the room for something he could focus on. Since he had no way of escaping from the mansion he might as well do something to pass the time while he waited for that awful woman to come back and make him even more miserable.

Wincing, he got up off the floor, becoming much more aware of his injuries. His whole body hurt and this pain wasn't welcome either. She'd really gone to town this time. If he did try to escape he'd be too sore to even run.

He caught his reflection in the mirror on her dresser and paused, startled by what he saw. His face was covered in scratched as was the bits of his neck. His left eye was blue from when she'd punched him in the face. Slick moved closer to the mirror and unbuttoned his shirt collar, taking in the rest of the damage.

Snowman had made sure he couldn't hide his wounds this time, purposely leaving a clear reminder that not everything she did to him was simply for fun and games. She really did hate him.

Spades Slick frowned, wondering why this stating of the obvious made him look forward to their next encounter?

000

Snowman appeared on the roof of the Felt's Mansion. A blast of cold air bit into her cheeks as she was suddenly thrust out of the warmth of her bedroom into the late fall weather of the planet. By now she was used to this and didn't even flinch when the air hit her like a wall. She calmly lifted her cigarette holder to her lips and took a long drag.

The tall woman sighed, blowing a long stream of smoke out of her mouth. How frustrating! Thins start getting good for awhile and then he had to go and say something real stupid! Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut and let things go?

"You'd think he would have learned to control his tongue by now," she muttered, taking another drag of her cigarette. "but I guess I'm expecting too much from someone like him."

She sat down on the roof, sighing in disgust. She let her mind wander, going over old memories she kept fresh in her mind. It was hard to remember everything clearly after being through so much in the last hundred or so years. Being the universe was tiring.

"Being the queen of derse was much easier." he said to herself. "My only problem then was making sure Jack Noir did his work."

Jack Noir had been such a major slacker. He complained about his job and looked for any and all reasons not to do it."heh, and he blames me for him not getting his work done," she sneered. "He didn't want to do the work anyway." and now he was too stubborn and hard headed to admit it it and dumped all the blame into her lap. "Typical..."

Snowman took another drag of her cigarette, mulling that over. It was rather amusing actually, how selective his memory was, especially after he'd sneak off quite often to play that blasted piano. Of course that had stopped once he'd broken it and she never had it replaced. She missed his skills at the instrument but it was a punishment she knew it was torture for him not to have it. If he hadn't gone and betrayed her like he had she probably would have replaced it.

Eventually...

Too late to do anything about it now, she reminded herself. All of that is over and done with. besides; he had his own piano now. She took another drag, allowing herself to smile. He'd gotten much better too much, much better...

"So it didn't ruin anything for him." she got back up, hearing voices coming from the mansion grounds. she walked to the edge and looked over curiously.


	13. Author's Note

For those who have been reading this story and enjoying it I have decided to stop writing it. I'm sorry, I just no longer have any desire to go on with it. Thanks to all who have read and enjoyed it.


	14. Chapter 14

13

Snowman made out a few of her fellow partners in crime. They were standing in a tight circle and seemed to be discussing something among themselves. She became curious and phased off the roof, appearing just out of view behind them.

"The dame's got a secret," Crowbar was saying to his comrades Die and Eggs. "She's gotta since she keeps on hidin' out in her room like a hermit."

"Now what could she be hiding from us?" Die demanded, folding his arms as he eyed the other leprechaun with a bored expression.

"Who knows," Eggs shrugged, looking more than a little uninterested with the conversation. "Maybe she's got some kinda thigamajig."

So her partners in crime were talking about her behind her back, eh? Why did they feel her business was so important that they had to go around discussing her affairs? It didn't concern them. But, if they were talking about her, and wondering what she was up to it meant she would have to be more careful with how she handled things. She did not want these nosy leprechauns to go snooping.

Only one of them knew why and she'd sworn him to secrecy. She knew he wouldn't blab, especially not to them or Doc Scratch because she had some dirt on him as well he didn't want to risk getting out to anybody.

"You're nuts," Die responded shaking his head in denial. "she wouldn't bring in something that would get her in hot water with the big man, she's not that stupid."

"I didn't say she had," Crowbar responded with a shrug. "but she's up to something and I for one would really like to know what it is."

"Good luck with that," his comrade sneered. "It'll be your funeral." he reached for the pin on his voodoo doll that had Crowbar's number on it. He looked like he'd really enjoy pulling it.

"The other leprechaun snatched the doll away. "Quit it!"

Eggs smirked, this was getting interesting.

Die shrugged. "If it happens I can always just bring you back anyway," he sneered.

"I'd rather not have it happen at all," Crowbar said briskly. "and I'd appreciate it if you stopped fooling around with that idiotic doll already."

"Without this doll you and the rest of us wouldn't be able to come back to life when those Midnight Crew jackasses bump us off!" the other retorted with smuggness.

He had nothing to say about that.

"Now would you kindly give back my voodoo doll?" Die asked in a dangerously calm voice. It sounded like he was sick of Crowbar and wanted to take out his pin to go to a different timeline where he _was_ already dead. "Before you lose it or worse."'

"Nah, I think I'll keep it for a while," his partner responded, holding it away from Die. "That way I know you're not using it to kill me in separate timelines."

"Now why would I do that?" the other demanded, sounding offended.

"Because you would."

Egg's by then had lost interest in the conversation and wandered off to do something much more appealing, like a blond with snow-white features...

0000

Spades wasn't aware of the conversation going on outside as he paced the floor in Snowman's bedroom. He had to get out of there! Of sure, having hate sex was fine and all but he preferred it on his terms and honestly this was just going on too long. Snowman and her stupid tricks were getting old. She wouldn't kill him but she didn't plan on letting go either. So what was she going to do once she got bored with him? Lock him in a closet?

_She better not! _

Spades slammed his fist against the wall, cursing. "If only I had stayed in my apartment!" he grumbled to himself. "Then I wouldn't have had to deal with any of this crap!"

Too late to worry about that now. He was unable to go back and change things, unlike Snowman or the rest of her idiotic company. So what was he going to do about it? He couldn't just sit there and wait for her to get sick of him. He had to do something!

But what could he do? Spades asked himself. He couldn't escape her room and it wasn't likely he'd get far if he did.

Slick turned back to the Felt woman's jewelry box. Maybe this time he would find something in there he could put to good use in the future...

00000

"Hello boys."

The two leprechauns turned to see Snowman walking toward them. "Hello, Snowman," the duo said as one, suddenly remembering their manners. Both took of their hats and she approached. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Oh fine," she said calmly as she casually lit a cigarette. "Just taking a walk around the mansion's grounds." she blew a puff of smoke at them and smiled a sultry smile. "and what are you up to?"

"Nothing," they said in one voice.

She smiled disarmingly, knowing full well they were lying worse than a politician during an election year. "Well you don't need to act like two children caught in the act of spying on girls in the shower," she said. "I'm not going to punish neither of you or anything, I just want to have a little talk."

They both relaxed at that but she could tell they were still being cautious. Good, let them worry. After they talked about her behind her back they had a reason to be so afraid.

_Just wait until I get you both alone in a dark room... _

"So how are you this fine evening?" Crowbar asked her to change the subject.

"Oh, very well." she twirled the cigarette holder in her hand. "Just enjoying the fresh air, know what I mean?"

They nodded as if they did, though she highly doubted this. Well no matter, it didn't concern them anyway. She smirked at them as she took another drag of her cigarette.

"Would you like to head into town for a drink?" Die asked her suddenly.

She blew out a stream of smoke. "Of course." she wasn't worried about Slick escaping while she was gone. She'd be able to find him easily even if he did. Plus it might help them put their fears to rest about her.

0000

Slick made a huge mess on Snowman's bedroom floor, dumping all of her jewelry and other personal items onto the carpet, more out of anger than the want to find one to use as a key. If he messed up or broke things in the process well too bad she deserved to have her things destroyed anyway.

"She's been asking for it," he muttered to himself, grabbing up a handful of broaches and making as if to add them to the mess already littering the room but paused. He stared at the items thoughtfully for a moment.

Maybe he could use the pins from them to make a lock pick. "Now this just might work if I can get it together..." he had a lot of work on his hands. Hopefully it wouldn't take long and he could get it finished before Snowman came back and caught him.

The mobster grabbed a few more pins and got to work.

000

Snowman and the two leprechauns went to their favorite bar for a drink. The other patrons gave them space once they stepped through the door, eyeing them with fear and loathing. The Felt were notorious and their reputation spread all over the city. Much as the other gangs in the city wanted to take them down they couldn't risk bringing on the wrath of their boss or accidentally killing the only female member in a fire fight. Nobody was that stupid or suicidal.

The female carapace scanned the room, giving each patron a few seconds of her attention. Some merely glared while a few gave her lustful looks. Even those who hated her wanted to bed her at least once before they died.

She smirked. _Dream on, punks. None of you are man enough to take me on. _Plus she already had her sights on someone and he was tucked safely away in her bedroom.

_I wonder what he's up to?_ she thought as she sipped delicately at her drink moments later. _Probably doing things I'll wind up punishing him for. _The thought made her smile. _Not that he wouldn't enjoy that. _

He would pretend he didn't, though, just to get on her nerves, even though the malicious smile he usually wore during intercourse clued her in that it was an act. As long as he could harm her in some way he welcomed their dark encounters.

Of course she couldn't check on him now, she'd agreed to have a drink with two of her consorts and she knew from their conversation, if she came up with an excuse to leave they'd only grow suspicious of her and most likely grow curious and try to find out by following her. She could just kill them, now that she thought about it, then bring them back using Die's voodoo doll but that would just prove as a bad idea, since they would most likely tell Doc Scratch what she did and things would go downhill from there.

She was stuck for now, not to say that bothered her too much. She'd been craving a good Martini for a while.

Die was saying something so she focused her attention on him. "Hmmm?" she asked, twirling her stool around to face him. "What did you say?"

"I was just mentioning that you're being sort of quiet tonight," he eyed her curiously. "Something on your mind?"

_Nothing I would tell you. _

He looked at her curiously, as if he were trying to read her mind. She gave him a smirk but said nothing, picking up her drink and sipping it delicately. She looked completely innocent of any wrong doing.

He cocked his head, his eyes probing. "What?" she asked, giving him a hard look. "You're thinking something and you might as well say it."

"I'm not thinking about anything!" he protested as if caught in the middle getting his rocks off. "I was just admiring your flawless beauty."

She gave him a look. What a rip! He never admired anyone's beauty. Just ask any of his hundred girlfriends. "Give me a break," she responded, giving him a look of utter contempt. "Be honest."

"I am!"

"Okay." she didn't believe him but she wasn't going to argue about it.

"Good." he went back to his drink, making a big show out of ignoring her.

Snowman also returned to her drink, finishing it pretty quickly because she didn't feel like being there anymore. Once she was done she paid her tab and disappeared before Die or Crowbar had time to say or do anything.

"I told ya she's up to something," Die said to Crowbar.

"How is disappearing up to something?" the other leprechaun demanded.

Die shrugged as he finished his drink. "What else could it mean?"

"Maybe she had to get her nails done or something."

While the two argued they didn't notice the dark figure sitting by himself at a table, smoking a cigarette and reading Gray Ladies. He'd been watching the entire conversation from the moment the two Felt had entered with Snowman to the moment she'd left. He'd come to the dwelling because he knew the rival gang frequented it often and he'd been hoping a few would enter and he'd learn about Spades Slick's whereabouts.

Now that the female was gone he closed his magazine, put out his cigarette and got up, casually strolling toward the two Felt.

"Evening," he said calmly as he approached. "What was that about Snowman?"

0000

Slick was nearly finished with his homemade lock pick when he felt a weird sensation behind him. Instantly he knew he was in trouble without even having to turn around to see it.

"What are you doing?" Snowman's voice hissed behind him.

The mobster spun around, raising his arm as he was going to use the makeshift lock pick for a knife to stab her with. A hand clamped down hard on his wrist as two burning white eyes glared into him. Before he knew what was happening the woman had knocked him onto the floor, pinning him there.

"Get off me!" he shouted, kicking at her stomach.

Snowman didn't intend to follow such an order. She gripped his wrist, tightening her hold until his hand popped open and he released the lock pick he'd made. It fell to the floor with a faint metallic clatter.

Now that he was removed from his new escape tool she looked him right in the face and asked in a steely tone that could have cut ice. "Are we trying to escape again?" before she clamped her hand over his mouth to muffle his screams as she dug her teeth deep into the carapace of his neck.

_A/N_

_I decided to continue this because I finally got some ideas but the updates will be slow and sporadic. I have no idea when I'll be making them. Part of the problem is; due to some not so nice criticism, my inspiration is low. Sorry guys. I'll try to finish the story but I'm no longer sure where I want to take this. _


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